Bird



Bird comes from a family of professional sign painters in the city of Detroit, where he was born and raised. Taught how to paint by his grandfather and uncle, Bird’s work can now be seen on buildings all across the city. Bird keeps a photo album of his work from the past few decades. Photos shown here were taken from 1981 through the present.

 


Bird. Since I was a teenager, I have been painting signs and murals on buildings across the city. This is an early mural from 1981 at Grand River and 14th. It has since been painted over.

 


Bird. A painting of two women on an African Hairdresser’s shop at 7mile and Hayes.

 


Bird. This painting, of Bob Marley, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr, and Haile Selassie was done for Triple A Liquor at Warren and Drexel when I was 17.

 

Bird. My old backyard studio with swinging bench and easel.

 


Bird. “The Music Machine”, an unfinished painting on the side of an abandoned storefront. When there isn’t much work around, I find empty walls and do my own thing. It’s a way of advertising my work and something to do to keep my skills fresh during slow times.

 

Bird. An Ernie Barnes inspired mural on the interior of Sugar’s After Hour Club at Chalmers and Chelsea. From 2007.

 


Bird. Hand painted church exterior from the late 1980’s on Chalmers north of Houston Whittier St.

 


Bird. That’s the birthday girl. I made this airbrushed photo backdrop for this teen’s birthday party in the mid 1990’s.

 


Bird. Me in front of a photo backdrop I painted for my daughter’s graduation from Cass Tech in 2004.

 


Bird. Here I’m beginning a new sign for the “Original Hand Car Wash” in 2007. The final mural had lettering and a painting of a 55 Mercury hardtop/convertible. It’s been painted over.

 


Bird. American Car Care Center, on 7 Mile.

 


Bird. Convenience store at Houston Whittier and Chalmers, now closed.

 


Bird. Barber and candy shop on Houston Whittier. Still there.

 


Bird. My paintings in front of my family’s mattress shop on Van Dyke. I paint on bed sheets stretched around old bed frames from the shop.

 


 

Bird is available for commissions. 313-704-3709