Jesse Perry: Southwest Street Artist

One of the first things you may notice when you enter Downtown Phoenix is the huge pop of color from the cacti-filled mural welcoming you to the city. This piece is just one of Southwest pop artist Jesse Perry’s amazing works decorating the city. 

Over the span of almost a decade, Jesse has painted around 150 pieces, taking much of his inspiration from the beautiful landscapes of the desert. 

“Phoenix is like no other city because there is so much imagery that we can use. More specifically, cacti, which is what I utilize in a lot of my imagery. Your mind is just blown by how interesting cacti are. It's not boring stuff.”

Jesse’s mother was a big part of why plants intrigue him so much, filling their home and yard with plenty of greenery. 

“I don't always have as many plants as I want, but plants have always been a part of my life.”

Bringing together his passions of plants and art has provided Jesse a way to express his love  for the city of Phoenix. 

“Through artwork and through plant based imagery, I've gotten to showcase the pride that I have in my community and vice versa.”

Follow Jesse on Instagram @mrdowntownphx

A film by Peter Fuhrman.