Where Color Meets Community
Words Codi Chen | Photos Baptiste Despois
This summer, Austin-based muralist and creative entrepreneur Zuzu is back on the road, taking her second annual Spraycation mural tour to new levels of magic. What started in 2024 as a solo vision and a 6,000-mile journey across the western U.S. has evolved into a full-blown creative movement powered by art, storytelling, and connection.
The concept of Spraycation, a mashup of spray paint and vacation, is a manifestation of Zuzu’s belief that public art has the power to shift culture and create joy. “Art should be experienced, shared, and savored,” she says. “This project is my love letter to the world.”
This year’s theme, “You Are Magic,” serves as both mantra and mission. “It’s a reminder to reclaim your power and remember your magic,” she explains. With each mural, Zuzu aims to reflect the spirit of the place she’s in: its people, its pulse, its stories. Cities on the 2025 tour include Portland, Seattle, Bozeman, Moab, Vancouver, and more—depending on where the road leads.
See it in person
With deep roots in the community, Zuzu’s art is a tribute to East Austin’s creative energy and cultural soul. Her work can be spotted across East Austin, from the “You Are Magic” mural at Art Hub (formerly Good Dad Studios) to la Barbecue’s bathroom, and three bold pieces at Hampton Inn. Other highlights include murals at Bathe bathhouse, and Here Today Gone Tomorrow, an immersive installation in the Blackland neighborhood.
Yes, Spraycation is about murals, but more than that, it’s about connecting with local artists and businesses, and leaving something meaningful behind. “I hit the streets. I cruise around, talk to people, and hear their stories. The mural is the goal, but the heart of my work lives in those conversations and connections,” Zuzu muses.
After a successful 2024 Spraycation debut, Zuzu has expanded her team to include a powerhouse group of women creatives, including a brand architect, sponsorship director, community outreach lead, and social media strategist. Together, they’re building a platform for collaboration, mentorship, and cultural impact.
This tour is a culmination of seventeen years of creative evolution, from Zuzu’s first graffiti encounter in 2001 to her large-scale public art and brand collaborations with names like Red Bull, Fender, and Rolling Stone. Today, her art is bright, bold, and unmistakably hers. It’s infused with joy, purpose, and the message that your dreams are worth pursuing.
Spraycation may be mapped out in miles, but its real distance is measured in connection, courage, and creative risk. It’s a movement rooted in showing up, loudly and unapologetically, and making space for others to do the same.
“I’ve learned that following your dreams isn’t just about chasing something,” Zuzu says. “It’s about becoming someone. And every time I paint a wall, I’m reminded that we are all capable of transformation.”
This tour is a revolution in color, and the road is calling.
