SHINE
Artist: Hoxxoh, Photo: by Edel Mohr

Matt Kress

About Matt Kress

Based out of: St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg based fine artist Matt Kress is best known for his intricate style that often combines figures with overlaid geometric designs in multiple layers. His work can be found in studios and art shows throughout St. Pete.

About the Mural

A wild pirate ship with patterned purple sails floats in a glowing red and orange sunset at 128 20th Street South.

On the north wall of the building is The Voyage, by Matt Kress. A gaudy pirate ship stretches as high as the building, 25 feet high on a 27 foot long wall. Skewed toward the right of the mural, as if it’s heading toward us, is an old-fashioned wooden ship with three gold bands and a jaunty, almost cartoon style. The wind fills three horizontal rows of segmented purple sails with light blue swirls, topped by a fluttering, smaller triangular sail, in shades of purple.

Behind these purple sails are three rows of lavender sails, decorated with magenta swirls. Behind those, and mostly hidden, are the edges of two wide gold sails with orange swirls.

An oversized skull and crossbones is the masthead, as big as a third of the ship. Compared to the body of the ship, the skull is enormous, smothering the front of the ship in swirling blue, gold and orange tendrils, like wisps of a stormcloud. Two curving crossed swords arc below the skull, the handles stabbing both ends of a football.

The sunset that splays out behind the ship takes up most of the wall. Wide gold and yellow angled bands burst from the left and spread out like a fan. The sun’s rays are gold and yellow on the left half of the mural, becoming rich red and orange as they pass the ship, toward the right.

Red and orange clusters of circles form abstract clouds, that drift across the golden rays of sunlight and sprawl into the red and orange sunset on the right. The red and orange circles become both lighter gold and darker red as they tangle with the glowing sunset colors, highlighting the outspread rays.

On the left half of the mural, silhouetted in the sunset, are abstract forms on an abstract island, staggered pink vertical shapes that represent the Tampa skyline, covered in a crowd of pink, orange, purple and yellow circles. All the circles have three or more rings, in different shades. It’s a bold, 1970s-style look.

The abstract orange island that these forms grow out of is smothered in colored rings. The rings become bright blue semi-circles as they blend into the abstract sea at the bottom of the mural.

On the right side of the ship, a cannon juts out, blasting a stream of gold fire and a cannon ball toward 20th Street South – an explosion with puffs of blue, yellow, pink and purple circles, instead of smoke.

Kress also painted a wooden utility pole and electrical conduit, so they blend into the mural.

This mural is the first mural by Tampa artist Matt Kress. It was sponsored by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team. Kress is known for a layered, geometric style, and influenced by artists like Picasso, Klimt and Chuck Close.

Drivers on 1st Avenue South catch a glimpse of the pirate ship and the wild sunset as they head toward downtown. The mural faces a brick-paved alley.

On this same building is a monumental mural by the artist, DAAS. The bright colors of both murals meet at the sharp right edge of Matt Kress’s mural.

Abys2024

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Emmanuel Jarus2024

Fintan Magee2024

Frankie Gonzalez2024

George F Baker III2024

Kris Markovich & Johnny Vitale2024

NeSpoon2024

Quinn Cale2024

Stevie Shao2024

Up & Over2024

Ya La'Ford2024

Zulu Painter2024

Naomi Haverland2024

Dwayne Shepherd & Brian McAllister2024

Artist Jones2023

Rhys Meatyard2023

Greater Public Studio2023

Andrea Wan2023

The Happy Mural Project2023

Kelly Quinn2023

Bunnie Reiss2023

HOXXOH2023

Chris Dyer2023

Max Sansing2023

Dave Bonzai2023

Fabstraq2023

Michael Vasquez2023

Chenlin Cai / 蔡陈林2023

Loretta Lizzio2023

Sarah Sheppard2023

Bryan Beyung & James Lee Chiahan2023

Hannah Eddy2023

James Bullough2022

MadC2022

Ben Johnston2022

Imagine2022

Marina Capdevila2022

123Klan2022

Reginald O'Neal 2022

Van Der Luc2022

Jeff Williams2022

Dream Weaver2022

Sydney Prusso2022

Ashley Cantero2022

Egypt Hagan2022

Tasko2022

Baghead2022

Nneka Jones2022

Amy Ilic-Volpe2022

Jason Harvin2022

Vitale Bros2022

Chad Mize2022

The Happy Mural Project2022

Greg Mike2021

Mwanel Pierre-Louis2021

Jenipher Chandley2021

Case Maclaim2021

Jared Wright2021

Bakpak Durden2021

Nicole Salgar2021

Ricky Watts2021

Gleo2021

Woes Martin2021

Jason Harvin2021

Miss Crit2021

Michael Fatutoa2021

Emily Ding2021

Reid Jenkins2021

Aurailieus Artist2021

Jujmo2021

Leo Gomez2021

Ya La'Ford2021

iBOMS2021

Chad Mize 2021

Brain Storm2020

Brian Butler2020

Lili Yuan2020

Happy Mural Project2020

BASK2020

Tatiana Suarez2020

Elle LeBlanc2020

Mason Schwacke2020

Alex Yanes2020

Kenny Coil and Marc Berenguer2020

Nneka Jones and Bianca Burrows2020

IBOMS2020

Cecilia Lueza2019

George Rose2019

Morning Breath2019

Vitale Brothers2019

Cory Robinson-CLEAN Campaign2019

SHOK-12019

Taylor White2019

Reda3sb2019

Princess Smith2019

Brian McAllister, Gibbs High Mural Club and Boys & Girls Club Members2019

JR-Inside Out2019

Paola Delfin2019

Jimmy Breen and Anthony Freese2019

Drew Merritt2019

Low Bros2019

Jay Hoff2019

Taj Tenfold2019

Leo Gomez2019

Palehorse2019

Blaine Fontana and Plastic Birdie2019

David Charlton2019

Todd Frain and Creative Clay2019

Haider Ali2018

Ya La Ford2018

Gibbs Rounsavall2018

Angela Faustina2018

Bekky Beukes2018

LOOK The Weird2018

Belin2018

Melanie Posner2018

Illsol2018

J and S Signs2018

Sarah Page2018

Nomad Clan2018

Tasko2018

Cecilia Lueza2018

Matt Kress2018

Michael Vahl2018

Noirs One2018

DAAS2018

Justin Wagher2018

ZuluPainter2018

Matthew Hoffman2018

Hueman2017

Joram Roukes2017

Jose Mertz2017

Stephen Palladino2017

Yok and Shero2017

Herbert Scott Davis2017

Jujmo2017

Lauren YS2017

Mikael B2017

ZuluPainter and Thirst2017

Axel Void and L.E.O.2017

Suarez Art2017

Cryptik2017

Daniel "R5" Barojas2017

Sam Yong2017

Ali Vasquez and Todd Frain2016

Angela Delaplane2016

Apexer2016

Arlin Graff2016

Pep Rally Inc.-The CLEAN Campaign2016

Daniel Mrgan2016

Pixel Pancho2016

Michael Reeder2016

Alex Pardee2016

Cecilia Lueza2016

Jade2016

Pantonio2016

Nosego2016

ZuluPainter2016

Dasic Fernandez2016

Caratoes2016

Mark Gmehling2016

Ya La Ford2016

Ink Werkz Crew2016

Andrew Spear2015

Chad Mize, James Oleson and Pinellas County Center for the Arts2015

Erik Jones2015

Hitnes2015

Hoxxoh2015

Michael Vasquez2015

Shark Toof2015

Morning Breath2015

Ricky Watts2015

Evoca2015

Carrie Jadus2015

BASK2015

Greg Mike2015

Tes One and Palehorse2015

123Klan2015

Ya La Ford2015

Carrie Jadus2015

Vitale Brothers2015

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