Paint it Back

@paintitbackfest

Paint it Back seeks to revitalize public spaces, into an evolving mural gallery. Visit the gallery: 51 Main Street. #ClintonIowa
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These walls already carry stories. Layers of paint. Weathered textures. Names, styles, colors. Proof that something happened here. For three summers, Paint it Back turned forgotten walls in the Lyons District into an open-air gallery. This year, we leave them untouched. A time capsule of every artist who came through. Now the movement shifts. Paint it Back returns the third week of August — this time taking over a new corner of @downtown_clinton_ia . Same energy. Different walls. Save the date. August 18-22, 2026 @clintoniowa 🎥 @aringation
31 4
2 days ago
Before the murals, before the crowds, before the color, there was this building. A quiet relic in the Lyons District. What once stood as a quiet district relic became the axis, the core, the spark. Paint it Back saw possibility where others saw dust, and The Sawmill Museum opened the door for art to lead the transformation. When nonprofits take risks and communities show up, even a forgotten block in small-town Clinton, Iowa, can come alive. Every wall, every artist, every gathering traces back to this place. Should we paint it back? #paintitback #chooseclintoniowa #clintoniowa #streetart
34 1
2 months ago
The Paint it Back walls are open and glowing. Winter in Iowa has settled in, and the snow is giving the murals along Main Ave a whole new light—bold colors, crisp cold air, and a different kind of calm. Take a walk through the Lyons District in Clinton, Iowa, and see them for yourself! #Paint It Back #StreetArt #clintoniowa #PublicArt #thisisiowa
111 9
5 months ago
Had the pleasure this summer painting with some insanely talented and genuinely good ppl @paintitbackfest . One of my favorite experiences to date. Good people and great vibes all around. Ill be back any time they want me 🫶🏼 Artists @gabibirdartist @c.shannonart @hippieoner @revisecmw @thealphachild @chucho_arte chucho @scribeswalk @_smuggles @jasladiosa @upsidedownowl @emit_df
125 8
5 months ago
From a paint battle that bursts with energy, to the canyon coming to life, all the way to our bright green slimey scene, Paint it Back Fest turns walls into living stories. And just when the train passes by, you feel it: the rhythm of a town in motion, the romance of creativity meeting community. What makes this festival special isn’t just the murals, but the moments when people stop, watch, and connect with the process. Art that’s accessible, alive, and made right in front of you. #PaintItBack #ClintonIowa #chooseclintoniowa #urbanart
43 3
7 months ago
“The Infinite Keys of Creation” 🎼🎹🌱🪄 Clinton, Iowa, USA. (2025). They say that in the heart of the universe there exists a piano whose keys fade into the infinite.. There dwells a being, guardian and creator at once, who, when playing them, summons new worlds. From the enchanted music spring magical flowers, reborn with every note… each chord becomes a spell, each resonance, a garden, elegantly suspended in nothingness. In the echo of its song, earth, sky, and the unknown intertwine in a wondrous dance that reminds us that creativity and nature…are the same magic 🎶🌱🪄 With all my heart thank you to Renew 122 @renew.122 for the trust, to the Paint It Back @paintitbackfest team for their tireless support…especially @gabibirdartist and @aringation ..two incredible and inspiring women 🥹 and to the entire Clinton community, who passed by the wall with such warmth, making me feel so welcome and cared for 🫶 Until next time! 🤠💛 “Las Teclas Infinitas de la Creación” 🎼🎹🌱🪄 Clinton, Iowa, USA. (2025). Cuentan que en el corazón del universo existe un piano cuyas teclas se desvanecen en lo infinito… Allí habita un ser, guardiana y creadora a la vez, que al tocarlas convoca nuevos mundos. De su música encantada brotan flores mágicas que vuelven a nacer con cada nota.. cada acorde se vuelve un conjuro, cada resonancia, un jardín suspendido con elegancia en la nada. En el eco de su canción se entrelazan la tierra, el cielo y lo desconocido en un baile asombroso que nos recuerda que la creatividad y la naturaleza…son la misma magia 🎶🌱🪄 Gracias de todo corazón a Renew 122 por la confianza, al equipo de Paint It Back por su apoyo incansable, en especial a Gabi Torres y Ari Nga, dos mujeres increíbles e inspiradoras 🥹, y a toda la comunidad de Clinton, que pasó por el muro con tanta calidez, haciéndome sentir bienvenida y cuidada 🫶 Hasta la próxima 🤠💛
477 91
7 months ago
The 2025 artists, all in. Different styles, different cities, but one mission: bring the walls of Clinton to life. This is Paint it Back: artists together, here for the art, in it for each other. #paintitback #urbangallery #streetart #ClintonIowa #ChooseClintonIowa
43 5
7 months ago
Paint it Back it’s about changing how our city feels, corner by corner. Our mission is to create permanent art in Clinton, and we’re starting right on Main Ave. The first piece is in place: a stunning mural by @jasladiosa at Renew 122 Health & Wellness. Building owners open their walls, artists bring their vision, and together we paint back the world. Learn more about the mission at . #paintitback #urbangallery #streetart #ClintonIowa #chooseclintoniowa Photos by: @aringation
145 13
7 months ago
New mural alert! We are SO excited to be bringing back one of our PIB artists to #clintoniowa! @jasladiosa , will be spending the next week at @renew.122 bringing more of her whimsical style to the Lyons District. This mural is made possible through the lEDA Creative Places Accelerator program and in partnership with @growclinton and Hometown Pride! #clintoniowa #paintitback #livemurals #streetart #urbangallery #thisisiowa #chooseclintoniowa
39 3
7 months ago
Paint It Back may have happened a few weeks back, but we're still smiling at how much fun this year's event was! #ThisIsClinton
40 4
8 months ago
Step onto Main Ave and the south wall greets you with a jungle fantasy with work from @hippieoner and @gabibirdartist who built a mystic gateway for travelers chasing the #MississippiRiver. As you move East through Main Ave, the West wall rises: @c.shannonart sasquatch is keeping guard over the block. From one wall @emit_df transports you to the canyon, right as Clinton’s streets unfold like a gallery; raw, surprising, unforgettable. Follow @paintitbackfest Video by @aringation #paintitback #urban-gallery #streetart #ClintonIowa #ChooseClintinIowa
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8 months ago
Another amazing recap! This time by the inimitable @mattthemesh who spent a week with us documenting the behind-the-scenes of Paint it Back as well as capturing the Block Party. Watching this video brings on so many feels. This festival is truly a labor of love, emphasis on love, and Matt (aka Indy Matt) did an incredible job of capturing the heart and spirit of who we are, what we do, and why we do it. Thank you, Matt!🙏 Art is a beacon of light, of energy, of hope, of what is possible. It ignites the imagination and sparks the soul. And, it is our mission to bring that light and spark to all kinds of places. This is only the beginning. 🖤✨️ Stay tuned. With love, @gabibirdartist PIB Family @c.shannonart @hippieoner @thealphachild @scribeswalk @revisecmw @_smuggles @emit_df @chucho_arte @artistic.kind @jasladiosa @upsidedownowl @mattparbs @aringation @boxmakerkip @udownwithsrp @jtmussmann @marmarmoose Chad Jensen
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8 months ago