Graffiti

Graffiti drawn on koi mural downtown Huntsville on Spring Street. (Bob Gathany / bgathany@AL.com)

(Bob Gathany)

Artist Dustin Timbrook has an appreciation for street art -- the kind that allows people to express themselves and gives viewers something to think about.

But, as for the graffiti that's been sprayed on the new koi fish mural in downtown Huntsville, Timbrook has no respect.

"That's not art," said Timbrook, who along with dozens of other artists invested countless hours into the planning, designing and painting of the mural. "They just put their handle. I appreciate street art -- good street art like you find in larger cities -- but this was just a person writing their name."

How we made 'Something Interesting' for Downtown Huntsville | by Red Brick Strategies from Red Brick Strategies on Vimeo.

The mural was unveiled last month on the side of 200 West Side Square near the bottom of Spring Street. When you look at it from the right angle, the iconic fish from Big Spring International Park becomes three-dimensional. A red "RB" logo painted at the corner of Spring and Spragins streets across from the mural marks the best place to see the 3-D effect.

The graffiti, which says "Lever1," has been reported to Huntsville police, but no suspects have been identified, Lt. Stacy Bates said.

If the vandal is caught, Timbrook wishes the person would come to understand the hours of planning, designing and engineering that go into creating a 100-ft work. While the actual painting took 5 days, the behind-the scenes work, such as applying for a grant, took hundreds, or even thousands of hours.

"That's the kind of work you put in when you do something real," Timbrook said. "It hasn't been there long, but it's been admired by thousands. It's disappointing that someone would come in that quickly and put their mark on it."

The mural was created by Huntsville firm Red Brick Strategies in coordination with Downtown Huntsville Inc., the city and Anne O'Shea, owner of 200 West Side Square. A grant to cover $500 of the $2,000 cost of the mural was awarded by DHI's "Something Interesting Downtown" program.

Timbrook, the creative director at Red Brick, is going to paint over the graffiti.

But, the firm is raising money through a gofundme account to buy a sealer that hopefully will protect the mural from future damage. The funds raised also will help pay for future murals around Huntsville.

"This mural is supposed to be a smart piece of artwork for our city," Timbrook said. "This is just such a dumb way for it to be damaged."