Monumental is a good way to describe Michael Conlin’s work. As a muralist, he’s no stranger to creating captivating artwork on canvases larger than life. Head southbound on I-787 through downtown Albany, and you’ll encounter his iconic and beautiful rendering of bluebirds in flight, draped across the massive facade of a five-story parking garage. Roll through a neighborhood in Troy, and be greeted by his block-long, cloud-infused mural celebrating community. Conlin also applies his artistic touch to more human-sized — but no less grand — endeavors: graffiti tags on a “Saturday Night Live” set for superstar Bad Bunny, artisanal beer can labels, hand-lettered signage for fashionable restaurants and more. UAlbany Magazine spent a day with Conlin as he created an intricate mural in a park overlooking the Hudson River.
Conlin uses an iPad to explore his initial ideas and creates small paintings to help work out details, such as lettering.
Tool of the trade: a sturdy ladder.
During prep, Conlin pours high-quality exterior satin enamel primer/paint for use.
This site is located in Riverfront Park in Rensselaer, across the Hudson River from downtown Albany.
Creating his canvas, Conlin lays downs a layer of black paint as his background.
A cloudless summer day makes for great working conditions. It’s not always the case; it stormed the night before as Conlin prepped the site.
Applying an outline of the design helps ensure consistency and detail integrity.
Conlin says many of his inexpensive brushes have been with him for years and that their character and how he uses them change as the brushes age.
This site is located in Riverfront Park in Rensselaer, across the Hudson River from downtown Albany.
The final art: Not Without You. Regarding the meaning, Conlin says, “It’s up for interpretation but it’s meant to signal the individual’s role within a community, whether it’s with a loved one or the world.”
The artist poses in front of another of his Riverfront Park murals, Keep On, painted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conlin created the graffiti tags used for the set of Bad Bunny’s musical performance during SNL’s 50th anniversary season.
Detailed hand-lettering is one of his signature skills and highly sought-after services.
Conlin’s iconic Bluebirds piece, created in 2016, is a widely recognized and appreciated part of the Albany cityscape.
UAlbany Magazine welcomes your comments and we encourage a respectful and on-topic dialogue. Comments that violate our guidelines will be removed.
