Muralist Joe Nix explores the connection between aviation’s technicality and beauty.

As the son and grandson of Boeing and Naval engineers, Nix’s inspiration comes from his life growing up in blue-collar port cities around Puget Sound and as he says “in engine rooms witnessing the mechanical orchestra of objects incarnate that brought cold steel and wood vessels to life.”

Nix usually creates his murals on exterior walls using spray paint. Here, Nix used latex paint hand-brushed onto the wall. The images featured in the mural were inspired by his explorations around the Museum and should be recognizable as some of the iconic artifacts from the Museum’s collection, like the Boeing 80A above you.