Words Codi Chen | Photos Baptiste Despois
Spreading Joy across the City
As an Austin native, Rex Sterling Hamilton’s love for this city runs as deep as the hues in his murals. “My great-grandparents were from here, and I grew up in East Austin,” Rex explains. “My grandfather, who was Mexican, used to talk about how it was mostly fields back then. He picked cotton here. You don’t think of East Austin as being farmland anymore because it’s densely populated now, but that history gives me a deeper connection to the city.”
That connection only grows with every project he takes on. Many of Rex’s commissions have led him to uncover Austin’s hidden stories. “Working here gives me a chance to learn even more about where I’m from,” he says. “It’s cool to celebrate the city and our history through art.”
Color, for Rex, is both language and legacy. He credits Austin’s sun-drenched energy and creative pulse for shaping his style. “Growing up, I’d go to Town Lake, visit storefronts, Peter Pan Golf and those big fiberglass figures,” he recalls. “Austin always felt like a bright sunny day. The city celebrated color, and that stuck with me.”
With more than twenty years’ experience, Rex’s work now radiates the warmth and vibrancy of his roots. “I started with realism and painted whatever jobs came my way,” he explains. “My uncle had an auto body shop on South First and said, ‘If you paint a mural on my building, we’ll fix your car.’ That one project sent me on a new path.” From there, commissions snowballed into a thriving mural career and a signature style defined by saturated colors, surreal imagery, and flower-headed figures.
In his large public murals, the flower people allow anyone, regardless of their background, to see themselves reflected in the art.
But when Rex turns to canvas, his focus shifts inward. There, he paints portraits that highlight people of color, using each piece to honor representation and identity in a more personal, intimate way.
Ultimately, his philosophy comes down to the beauty of humanity. “When people see my work, I hope they see their own divinity reflected back at them,” he muses. “I want my art to bring joy and remind people of their potential to create beauty in the world.”
Where in the World? You can find Rex’s murals across East Austin. His piece, “I Was Born Here, I Was Grown Here,” spans the Saltillo Building, a colorful family portrait that honors his roots and new beginnings. At Huston-Tillotson University, his “Bluebonnet Hill” mural pays homage to the area’s history and community. Nasha’s exterior still features one of his earliest works, marking the evolution of an artist deeply connected to Austin’s Eastside.
