A JOURNAL BY SHINOLA DEDICATED TO JOY OF CRAFT

MAKING OUR MARK: ARTIST TIM BUWALDA TALKS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MIAMI MURAL ARTIST

BY Taylor Rebhan

Wynwood Arts District is home to more than 70 art galleries, antique shops, eclectic bars, and one of the largest open-air street-art installations in the world. With that in mind, a mural on our new store seemed like the perfect idea. Buwalda spent four days completing the detailed, black-and-white mural on the exterior wall of our new Miami store’s building. Get to know the artist in the Q&A interview below. 

What made you agree to collaborate with a brand like Shinola?

I grew up in a working class family so it is very sentimental and important to me to be supporting a brand that keeps Americans employed. This brand takes pride in an amazing city like Detroit, and utilizes the skills and talents of the community. 

Describe the mural you painted in Wynwood, and how long did it take to complete? 

The mural took me four days to complete, and I could not have done it without the hard work of my assistants, Alex Sweet and Jose Perez. My purpose in doing this portrait was to honor the employees, and the creative fabricators of Shinola’s exquisite products. Our consumerist culture so oftentimes neglects to acknowledge the amount of time, blood, sweat, and tears that go into what they purchase. 

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Why did you choose to stick with a black-and-white color scheme?

This image really exemplified the details and craftsmanship that defines Shinola. Because of these intentions, I felt a classic black-and-white aesthetic would be most appropriate. It also stands out and plays off nicely with the more colorful classic street art surrounding it. I felt it gave the image a weight and distinction I was trying to achieve. 

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Do you wear a watch or use your cell phone to tell time?

I am typical in that I use my phone a lot when working and in the studio. If I need to make an impression or am attending an important event I always rely on my watch collection. I have inherited some amazing watches from my grandfathers, and also have a Soviet era diver’s watch. Those watches are very important to me and make a unique impression. Now I have a gorgeous Shinola watch to show off.

Visit our Miami store to view Buwalda’s mural first-hand.

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