Community of creatives: How art came to decorate Austin’s streets
Laura Baker, General Projects Reporter
March 27, 2025
“…Art continues to inspire new generations of Austinites. Human biology senior Kenzo Revilla said he was motivated to start the Street Art Muralist Organization to contribute to Austin’s unique mural scene.
“Austin’s a very liberal and politically progressive city,” Revilla said. “Street art provides an amazing way to platform all these amazing messages and (to) be very inclusive and diverse…”
“Austin’s Murals, A Guide to Art, Culture, and Preservation”
Yasmin Garcia, Austin Writer
November 15, 2024
“…Meanwhile, the Street Art Muralist Organization– a UT Austin student group– creates murals across campus and beyond. With a mission to raise awareness for important causes and diversify Austin’s visual landscape, SAMO frequently partners with underserved communities and schools to create meaningful murals for them, such as their recent work at Widen Elementary.
Kenzo Revilla, SAMO’s founder, said Austin’s mural scene stands out for its ample amount of “good messages” that reflect the city’s creative energy and outdoorsy environment while amplifying activists and movements.
“Public art is around every corner in the city, and it’s a reflection of Austin’s attitude and space,” Revilla said. “It’s not just limited to spray paint, it’s a city that’s walkable and super creative with displaying its beautiful history and community through the messages that those art pieces carry…”
“Street Art Muralist Organization paints Mural of Hope for The Project at Dove Springs”
Chloe Ching, General Life & Arts Reporter
March 5, 2024
Buckets of paint in every color imaginable surrounded Kenzo Revilla and volunteers. Every brush stroke made the expansive design a reality in the hopeful halls of Widén Elementary School.
Human biology junior Kenzo Revilla started the Street Art Muralist Organization (SAMO) in the fall of 2022 with the goal of appreciating murals and finding like-minded individuals. This year, a UT organization named The Collective recruited SAMO to paint one of four murals at Widén Elementary School for The Project, UT’s biggest annual day of service. Master of social work sophomore Christina Ciaburri, who is independent of SAMO, designed the other three murals. Every year, The Collective chooses a community to serve; this year, it chose Dove Springs. Widén Elementary was one of 10 sites around Dove Springs for The Project.
“I’m hoping this mural can provide a sense of inspiration for the kids that attend the school,” Revilla said.
The mural, which sits inside one of the school’s long hallways, extends 40 feet wide and seven feet tall — although it was originally planned to be just 10 feet wide. In order to cover such a large portion of the hallway, Revilla added the UT Tower and the Texas State Capitol.
“It’s been a lot of planning, a lot of struggle with trying to get here, and a lot of communication on everyone’s part,” Revilla said. “It’s been really stressful trying to create a design that will make everyone happy and that will fit with the elementary school.”
Environmental science sophomore Krithika Rajesh served as one of the team leads, directing volunteers and organizing the site.
“It turned out wonderful,” said Rajesh, culture and membership committee chair of The Collective. “It was rocky to get there because there’s a lot of setup, but then the volunteers were there and it was great.”
The volunteer effort consisted of three four-hour shifts. Sibel Yaser, environmental engineering senior and volunteer, said she completed the last touches on the mural and watched the final design come together.
“We wanted (the mural) to showcase the diversity of the students and the community, so we had depictions of people from all different backgrounds,” Yaser said. “We had quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr., and then César Chávez as well. Celebrating the diversity in the community and being able to see that is really nice as a kid.”
Yaser said volunteers offered all levels of experience, and their work impressed her.
“It’s a form of art that you can share with so many people,” Revilla said. “Every day people will walk by it and look at it. It’s really rewarding.”
“American Campus to preserve ‘Hi, How Are You’ mural during building demolition”
Ali Juell, Senior News Reporter
March 27, 2023
Kenzo Revilla, founder and president of the University’s Street Art Muralist Organization, said the “Hi, How Are You” mural was one of the first things he noticed when he first came to college.
“Everywhere in the alleys and in the streets there’s taggers putting their names over other people’s names, … but the mural remains untouched,” Revilla said. “(The mural) definitely has a big connection to the campus at large. … I think that it has an emotional connection with everyone that passes by it.”
Revilla said he fully supports the preservation project, as he knows the UT community would otherwise lose an important and highly respected piece of art.
“New graffiti working group poses questions about maintaining Austin’s culture, local iconic art”
Vivien Ayers, Senior News Reporter
February 24, 2023
Human biology sophomore Kenzo Revilla, founder of the University’s Street Art Muralist Organization, feels concerned that the new graffiti group might negatively affect some of Austin’s iconic public art. One example is Daniel Johnston’s “Hi, How Are You” mural on the side of the Sound Exchange off Guadalupe Street. Johnston’s 2004 painting is a representation of local artists and their work, whether well-known or underground, according to his website.
“'Hi, How Are You' mural lives on despite building’s demolition”
KUT 90.5 | By Corey Smith
“The mural is not just a visual landmark, but also a question on the mental health of everyone,” said Kenzo Revilla, founder and president of the Austin-based Street Art Muralist Organization.
“‘Hi, How Are You?’ implores us to ask how people really are, how they’re doing," he said.
Throughout his career, Johnston’s art was “informed to some degree by his ongoing struggle with manic depression,” according to his website.
The director of operations and events for the Hi, How Are You Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing "the stigma around mental health, one conversation at a time,” said the mural is an irreplaceable part of the city's fabric.