The Newspaper of Record since 1878

Painting Floyd and Jordan Simms tribute murals

Posted

Myron Star took time out from his tattoo gig at Molina Ink to create a memorial to George Floyd on Friday and Saturday.  The response from people driving by didn’t amount to a demonstration, but many honked to show their support or stopped to talk about the issue. April Crick said that when she painted “I can’t breathe” on her wall, the police showed up, suspecting vandalism. But the wall was her property.  Later, she contacted Star to ask him for a more artistic rendition of the message. 

Star, a native of San Carlos, has been doing tattoo art since the 90s and has tagged for even longer. The portrait of George Floyd shows his training.  He has attended both Pima Community College and Eastern Arizona College and has done murals inside Dominion Cutters and Power Elite Dance Studio. 

April and her friends helped Starr buy the specialty paints, and Don Mitchell, who works locally delivering packages, was there throughout the project to steady ladders, help set up and put away and guard the tables and shelters.

As Friday and Saturday wore on and the temperature peaked, Starr would paint, and look at the photographic source on his cell phone, rest in the shade, and go back to work translating the tiny picture into the striking and nuanced portrait on the wall. Sunday morning, Starr signed his work.

Floyd’s is not the only death memorialized on the building though. Joseph Roan Eagle has painted a sign “ #Justice 4 Jordan” [Sims] on street-facing side.  Roan Eagle, winner of the 2019 San Carlos Forestry poster contest, came up from Safford to donate his talent and time.

While the universal uproar over Floyd’s death has been all about race, George Floyd shares a background with Jordan Sims – involvement with the justice system in the hideously dangers role of a prisoner.

Sims was allegedly shop lifting when arrested and was subsequently allegedly raped and then murdered when she complained. According to AZ Central, the Graham county sheriff’s office alleges that she got out of handcuffs, belly chain and ankle restraints, and jumped from a moving car whose back door was for some reason, unlocked.

Her family came up from Safford on Saturday to add their own protest to the protest championing Floyd.  According to April Crick the family will be back on Sunday Evening July 26 for a candlelight vigil.