The mural was just supposed to be another chance for Oakland artists Pierre BellaFonté, Charles Meck and Uter Charles to get outside and paint. They didn’t think anyone would pay much attention to it.

Then again, everyone has something to say when your work of art in progress is a larger-than-life portrait of Tom Hanks and Too $hort, depicted side-by-side on a 100-foot-tall brick wall at the corner of San Pablo and Castro Street near the Oakland Greyhound station.

Initially spotted by KQED Arts columnist Pendarvis Harshaw on Wednesday, the mural has inspired a larger conversation BellaFonté and Meck are happy to be part of, collaborating with passersby as they paint, riffing on new suggestions. It’s why they created the mural, after all.

“Oakland breeds influencers and people should be proud to be here. It’s important to pay attention to our backyard — we have epic stuff going on,” BellaFonté told SFGATE over the phone.

Too $hort moved to Oakland in the 1980s and was a drummer in the marching band at Fremont High School. Tom Hanks is another born-and-bred East Bay luminary who attended Skyline High School and later studied theater at Chabot College in Hayward.

In spite of sharing similar roots, the mural represents a juxtaposition of Bay Area culture — something the artists say they didn’t notice until observers began to comment on the fresh paint.

“They like that they’re opposites, two different cultures of Oakland," said Meck.

Neighbors praised the inclusion of their hometown heroes, while out-of-towners disembarking from buses said they were confused by the inclusion of Hanks.

“If you’re from the Bay, though, you know,” BellaFonté said, chuckling. “I think it’s a fresh take on representing Oakland. We’re out painting every night, and this is a nice opportunity for us to do a mural that people are respecting. Graffiti in essence represents a city’s culture, and people forget what it’s about when they try to take it away.”

It’s also somewhat of a visual maze. Illustrated with oil enamel, Hanks’ likeness is surrounded by a collage of references to his most iconic movies. There’s Wilson, the volleyball from “Castaway.” The keys of a piano are a nostalgic nod to “Big.” A pixelated cursor was added in homage to “You’ve Got Mail.” Kites flying above seem to be a reference to "Saving Mr. Banks." And the black-and-white cow print bordered by a lasso and cowboy boot evokes Woody’s attire in “Toy Story.”

To the untrained eye, an array of tissues in the midst of the mural might seem confusing. But, as the artists explained through sputtering laughter, they’re actually “Hank”-erchiefs.

“We like to throw all of these elements in there like it’s a puzzle,” said Meck. “It’s like a freestyle. We keep going and flowing as we brainstorm and a lot of people have been sharing their input.”

In addition, a few hidden references in tribute to Hanks’ life are weaved throughout the mural. In a 2013 BBC interview, Hanks admitted his dream job was to become a park ranger, so the artists included Smokey the Bear’s yellow hat, and plan to incorporate imagery of Yosemite, redwood forests and panoramic views of nature.

“It’s about nurturing and protecting in a broader, weird way,” said Meck. “We try to figure out what we say through painting, all of us together while we’re out here.”

Beside Hanks, Too $hort is accompanied by Thomas the Train and a trophy bearing the title "Player" in honor of his iconic hits "Blow the Whistle" and "I'm A Player." A massive boombox surrounded by cassette tapes recalls the rapper’s early years, when he sold mixtapes out of his car.

“In a way, they represent us,” said BellaFonté. “Some of us, some of our friends get down sometimes on working four jobs. It’s tough living in Oakland. These pieces remind us Oakland is epic, it’s fun and to make the best of things.”

BellaFonté and Meck said they plan on finishing up the mural by Sunday or Monday, though it’s unclear how long it will last. While it wasn't commissioned by the city, officials don't seem to be too upset about it popping up.

“We are lucky to have so many murals that reveal Oakland's creative spirit," Roberto Badoya, Oakland's cultural affairs manager, told SFGATE. "We don't oversee all public murals that enrich our city. This mural celebrates two Oaklanders that embody that creative spirit.”

Last summer, David Baker Architects, which operates out of the building where the mural is located, decided to re-purpose the wall as a blank canvas for local street artists to showcase their work. Now, it's called the DBA Pop Up Gallery.

"It's a way for us to encourage artistic expression in the neighborhood and experimentation in public space," Taylor Dearinger, a designer at the firm, told SFGATE. "We’re really excited about this one and we love it."

A rotating series of murals by the likes of Fuming Guerrilla, Nite Owl and Anemal have covered the wall in recent years. In the current piece on display, there's even an obscured tribute to Anemal, an Oakland street artist who died in 2015. His name appears on Woody's boot in lieu of Andy's.

“We just hope no one tags over it,” said Meck.

In the meantime, you can check out their other works at Good Mother Gallery.

Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com | Twitter: @byabartlett