The Easter Bunny was born again today in several forms, including a “Peepzilla” spray painted by 9-year-old Max and 11-year-old Laurence (who goes by the tag “eyez”), two students of Gaia‘s mural making class held at The Fridge, an art gallery and performance space nestled in an alley off Barracks Row near Eastern Market.  Gaia, an artist represented by Irvine Contemporary on 14th Street, is best known for his street work depicting hybrid animal and human characters.  I’ve written about him a few times and often cover exhibitions at The Fridge, so I was excited to attend this class, which is the first in a series of three all-ages mural making workshops organized by the Albus Cavus collective.

Like many street artists I’ve met, Gaia prefers not to have his face photographed and put into public domain.  As you can see on his website, he takes legal risks with his work.  So the images of him in this blog post are largely anonymous.  Other artists I’ve talked to in DC have a certain respect for Gaia because he’s known for going places where others might not.  I don’t mean illegal, I mean bad parts of town.

Gaia started the class with a presentation of his portfolio, but moved outdoors to create a Tiger Bunny mural on the Fridge’s north wall.  About 15-20 students watched him work, before we all moved to the building’s south wall where students could paint their own interpretation.  Below, Gaia continues working on his mural in the rain, after the two-hour class ended.

Students at work, while the teacher watches.  Gaia’s fashion is a work of art itself, his style and mullet seem to live somewhere between 1970s nonchalance and a young Weird Al Yankovic.  A living, breathing thrift store “urban shaman,” which Martin Irvine calls him.

Behold the makings of “Peepzilla,” although quickly transitioned to the good, bad and the ugly.  (I’m impressed with the fact at least one of these kids knew of Sergio Leone’s film from 1966.)  Can you tell which bunnies were spray painted by adults and which by the kids?

Author Arthur Allen has brought his 11-year-old daughter Lucy to four classes in a row.  She created a stencil during a graphic design session in April, which focused on the paper arts and origami.  Another class she took instructed students to design a logo with certain criteria.

Alex Goldstein, proprietor and gallery director of The Fridge, is an award-winning graphic designer and artist.  He’s also becoming very comfortable in front of my camera, which I have no problem with.  (Notice the paper crane, something I have an affection for.)

Photos: Joshua Yospyn/Worn Magazine (ask permission to use our images)

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