Painting The Town

JUPITER, FL - March 1,2018 - Downtown Abacoa has become a staple of the Jupiter-Tequesta community, and you may have noticed the murals that dress the walls. If you pass by the north parking garage off of Town Center Drive, you will become mesmerized by the artwork of a woman diving into a wave in a mermaid-esque fashion with the Jupiter lighthouse on the horizon. Who is the artist behind the masterpiece? InJupiter had the chance to sit down with the mastermind, known as “Emo”.

Having a creative-mind since he was young, artist Eduardo Mendieta has grown up with a passion for art in more styles than one. Ranging from painting, to graphic design, to graffiti, to murals, he has always been a creator due to his profession in graphics, and the many projects he has been requested to design across the South Florida and Midwest regions. He moved to West Palm Beach 20 years ago due to one phone call that attracted the New Jersey native to Jupiter for his first time.

“I got a call from Evan Miller, one of the owners of Civil Society, over two years ago to design the logo for a new brewery they were opening,” explains Mendieta. “Once they saw my graphic design of the dog for the logo, they brought me back to paint all of the murals on their walls, as well as one of the first specialized beer cans that they now come out with monthly. My edition is called Subject Twelve.”

Mendieta’s edition of Civil Society’s monthly specialized beers called Subject Twelve

Since outdoor art has become a common specialty, the owners of downtown Abacoa wanted to revitalize the area with artistry that represented our community. And Mendieta was no stranger to painting murals, as he had proven through Civil Society’s brewery, as well as the outdoor mural across from O’Shea’s Irish Pub on Clematis Street in Downtown West Palm Beach, so he was one of the few artists chosen to tackle the job.

With his artistry featured across the South Florida region, pictured is a mural that was done in Ocala, Florida

“The owners requested a painting that would reflect the Jupiter lifestyle. Using bright colors of blue, yellow, white, and red, I designed the mural with a contemporary style using only spray paint. They plan to have ten or more murals painted in Abacoa by artists from all over the world. I would love to come back to do another one,” notes Mendieta. 

Mendieta has been featured for his work in multiple publications such as Palm Beach Times, XS Magazine, City Link Magazine, and was selected to participate in the 1999 Hortt Exhibition at the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale. Currently, you can find his work showcased at Gallery 2014 in Hollywood, Florida.