Jacksonville based artist and muralist Jason Tetlak is painting a mural in the Five Points neighborhood for the Riverside United soccer club.
Club organizer Joey Simons asked Tetlak to paint the mural to promote the club.
“I’ve seen other larger clubs do murals before,” Simons said. “So I thought doing one for Riverside United would be an interesting way to add artwork to the local community and to promote the team at the same time. Since Jason comes out to play with us all the time, he was a perfect fit for the project and the design he has come up with really captures the spirit of our group.“
The mural, which is next to The Bread & Board restaurant in Five Points, is 25 feet tall and features a soccer scene and designs in the club's red and black color scheme.
Riverside United invites people of all ages and skill levels to get together and play soccer every week. On top of that, they organize watch parties for soccer fans to get together and watch games.
“It’s a community organization. Anybody can come out,” Tetlak explained. “They play Saturday mornings and whoever shows up we just divide into teams. All skill levels are welcome.”
Related:Meet The Artist Behind The Mural Next To The Fuller Warren Bridge
Riverside United will host a mural unveiling and Champions League final watch party on Saturday, May 29, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Rain Dogs in Five Points.
Tetlak was a featured muralist at Basel House Mural Festival 2019 in Miami and has had his work displayed in Denver, Las Vegas, Tuscaloosa, Key West, Charleston, Cleveland and Bermuda, along with a handful of pieces right here in Jacksonville.
Tetlak’s work featuring Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was featured on ESPN’s NFL Countdown last season and his 3D Beastie Boys mural in the Brooklyn neighborhood has earned him a Guinness World Record for the largest 3D painting.
To learn more about Riverside United and to find out when they’re getting together for a pickup game, check out their Facebook page. To learn more about Tetlak and his work, click here.
Brendan Rivers can be reached at brivers@wjct.org, 904-358-6396 or on Twitter at @BrendanRivers.
