Goat and Deer murals by Kaff-Eine

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While Australian street artist Kaff–Eine was visiting Pittsburgh, her friends located this boarded up storefront in Lawrenceville that needed fresh artwork. There had been previous layers of posters at this location, including an old Shepard Fairey mural that had deteriorated almost beyond recognition. Kaff–Eine told us that she wanted to use the beautiful layers of posters that were already there and that she basically used their colour and texture, painting highlights and shadows but leaving the original old posters to come through in the image. She painted a white-tailed deer for the Pennsylvanian State Fauna, and the goat was done in memory of a dear friend.

If you look closely you can see the old artwork bleeding through the new images.

UPDATE July 2015

The deer is gone. There’s new artwork on the right side where the deer used to be. We talked with artist Jeremy Raymer who did the new art and he told us that someone removed the plywood that the deer had been painted on. Apparently the building is scheduled for demolition at some point, so his new artwork along with the goat won’t be here long either. We kind of hope that the thief was trying to save the artwork rather than just vandalizing the building. Good intentions n’at. The hooves remain, making it a bit interesting:

2016 - GONE

Soaring Kids mural by Kaff-Eine

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

We found this information about the artist on Wordpress

Kaff–eine is an established street + contemporary artist within Melbourne’s globally–celebrated street art scene. Since 2010 she has garnered a strong following among Australian and international street art lovers + art collectors, who are drawn to her illustrative freehand style, delicate linework, + quiet melancholic characters. She has been invited to paint her artwork, created with aerosol, acrylic paint + pigment ink, on public + private walls across Australia, Germany, France + the Philippines, in galleries, businesses, homes, and on the streets. Kaff–eine has also illustrated two successful children’s books (The Promise + Vera), + has exhibited in solo + group exhibitions throughout Australia.

Visiting Pittsburgh in 2014, Kaff–eine was introduced to Braddock by a local gallery owner and she took the time to contribute to the town’s growing outdoor gallery of murals by well known street artists.

This piece is on the back of the Red Lantern Bike Shop, next to the town’s free store. It’s colorful and whimsical and a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Kaff–eine describes the figures as meant to be light, fantasy pieces, with children flying or soaring up.

With any luck, we’ll see more of Kaff–eine’s distinctive characters around town in 2016 when she hopes to return here.

Life is Short Hug Your Donkey by Kaff-Eine

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

We found several pieces by international artist Kaff–Eine around town in 2014. When we contacted her for information she told us that she had been visiting friends in Brookline when she painted them.

In Braddock she left us with two great, new murals before she returned to Melbourne. This one is on the side of the future Superior Motors Restaurant and the Mayor’s house. The mural is done freehand aerosol. Kaff–Eine describes it as a kind, warm, melancholy piece which I think suited Braddock. It draws you in with it’s simplicity and warmth.

Kaff–Eine told us that she plans to return here sometime in 2016. We hope to see more of her whimsical pieces then.