PORTLAND, Ore. — The smell of paint fills the air at the corner of 15th and Southwest Morrison in downtown Portland as two artists start a mural on the side of the Artists Repertory Theater.
The duo at work are bonded by something more than just a love of art: They also shared a young rebellious streak.
“Got in trouble many years ago doing graffiti — that’s how we met," recalled Blaine Fontana, a graphic artist.
"I spent a lot of time just walking around these areas, scribbling on things," Toma Villa, a Columbia River Native Artist, said with a laugh.
Now, the two are scribbling on a canvas much bigger — and they're doing it professionally.
“This is a big job because it’s actually the other side of the building too," Villa said. "There’s two walls."
The mural is titled "Sky Fox," and it's based on an origin story of the stars and moon, written by Villa.
“I kind of just put it together in a way that made sense to me, and I tell it to my little girl for bedtime stories," he said.
Fontana calls the story "striking" and says he's endeared by the way Villa has used it to connect with his children and his Indigenous heritage.
"[It's] just this incredible lesson of curiosity and mortality," Fontana said.
For Villa, a member of the Yakama tribe, this narrative and artistry go far beyond a pretty picture.
“My art and everything, it represents my tribe, and I think that once I do this art, it’s not mine anymore," Villa explained. "It belongs to everyone."
Fontana says he's honored to work alongside Villa to share a deeply personal story with the people of Portland.
"It’s incredible to have the opportunity to work with a really good friend but also to share this incredible, really sacred, very special narrative that’s an original story by him," Fontana said. "The point of creating it is now to share it with humanity."
When the mural is complete in a few weeks, Villa hopes his tribe will see part of themselves within his work.
“I want them to be able to come through and be like 'Yeah, that’s us. This feels like our home too,'” he said.