Dog Park Shipping Container Mural

Dog Park Street Art

Artist: John Potter - Escape Key Graphics
Client: Boca Grove Golf and Country Club

Acrylic Paint (20'x8'6")

This project involved the design and execution of a large scale illustrated mural for a repurposed shipping container at a community dog park developed by Boca Grove. The container functions as both a storage structure and a visual anchor within the park, making it an ideal surface for custom illustration and public art. The goal was to create artwork that felt playful and welcoming while also reinforcing Boca Grove’s established brand identity. This type of illustrated mural work highlights how functional architecture can be transformed into an engaging environment feature through thoughtful design.

While the project initially began as a digital illustration intended for a vinyl wrap, the physical realities of the shipping container quickly shaped a different creative direction. The corrugated metal surfaces, framing, and door hardware introduced significant limitations for a wrapped solution. Rather than force the artwork to conform to those constraints, I proposed a hand painted mural approach that would allow the imagery to respond naturally to the structure itself. This shift opened the door to a more expressive and durable solution suited to outdoor use and long term visibility.

To ensure clarity and consistency, I developed scaled paintings of the mural concepts using the same materials planned for the final installation. These studies allowed the client to review composition, color, and thematic elements before on site execution began. Each side of the container features a collage inspired arrangement of dog related imagery anchored by a strong central figure. Boca Grove’s orange tree branch appears throughout the design as a subtle but meaningful reference to the property’s history as former orange groves.

One side of the mural is centered on a realistic dog portrait surrounded by familiar park elements such as leashes, bowls, and toys, supported by bold geometric forms in complementary colors. The opposite side features a more stylized, playful dog rendered with influences from early twentieth century European art movements, creating contrast while maintaining cohesion across the structure. Executed in acrylic paint and acrylic resin spray paint, the finished mural demonstrates how illustrated murals and custom artwork can enhance community spaces, reinforce branding, and turn utilitarian structures into memorable visual experiences.

See the working sketch here.