Greg Brown Murals
The History of Greg Brown's Pedestrian Series
“I call it the Palo Alto Pedestrian Series because it’s … geared toward people being on foot, walking around, and discovering these things.” - Greg Brown
Completed in 1976, Greg Brown’s whimsical “Pedestrian Series” has been a beloved part of Palo Alto’s downtown landscape for nearly five decades. These trompe l’oeil murals depict odd and impossible vignettes that blend seamlessly into their surroundings, inviting passersby to take a second look. While clever and fun, Brown’s murals also preserve pieces of Palo Alto history: many portray the artist’s family, friends, and community members. The iconic murals injected surprise and levity into the city’s streets: imagine turning a corner and seeing a life-size painting of a woman walking her pet pelican, two burglars rappelling down a building, or a nun launching a paper airplane from a balcony!
In 1975, Brown was hired by the City as an artist-in-residence through a Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) grant, which provided temporary government employment to support career development. His first mural in the Pedestrian Series was The Inspector, and it was so realistic that it startled a city councilmember, who reportedly attempted to have it removed.
Not all murals from the original series ultimately survived. Burt the Alien was solemnly laid to rest in 1985 during the groundbreaking ceremony for the University National Bank’s new headquarters. The bank later commissioned a new mural featuring another Venusian—this one crashing its spaceship into the building. In 1995, The Inspector, Woman Walking Pelican, and Roof Hoppers, and also faced removal due to new construction projects. The community rallied to save the murals, with some residents even offering their own store walls as new locations. As a result, The Inspector and Roof Hoppers were recreated in new sites.
Images left to right: Archival images of Greg Brown's murals The Inspector, Woman Walking Pelican, and Roof Hoppers that no longer exist.
Today, nearly half a century after Greg Brown created the Pedestrian Series, five of the original nine murals remain, including Man Pushing Cat in Stroller, Garbage Man with Venusian in Can, Woman Watering, Boy Fishing, and Sister Amelia, Patron Saint of Flight.
Greg Brown passed away in 2014, but his murals continue to celebrate his playful spirit and creative legacy. Today, the surviving Pedestrian Series murals remain among the most well-known and beloved works in Palo Alto’s public art collection.
Preservation of Greg Brown Murals
Brown regularly returned to touch up his murals, often attracting spectators who enjoyed watching him work. He welcomed the community and conversation, even inviting kids to paint a few strokes. Over time, some of the murals evolved. The Man With Stroller, for instance, used to be pushing a cat, inspired by an elderly woman who wheeled her own cat around downtown. At the request of the then-owner of the building, Brown replaced the cat with an alien during a routine repair.
Left to right: archival photos of Brown's murals including Man Pushing Cat in Stroller, Sister Amelia, Patron Saint of Flight, and Lady Watering.
Since the artist’s passing, the Public Art program has remained dedicated to the ongoing care and preservation of the Pedestrian Series murals. In recent years, the City brought in a team of Bay Area-based fine art conservators to restore and preserve these iconic artworks, ensuring that Brown’s offbeat murals continue to bring joy and wonder to the community for years to come.
About the Artist
Greg Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and moved to Palo Alto at age two. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1969. Although he showed an early interest in art, he chose hands-on learning over formal training, apprenticing with Italian artist Roberto Lupetti at just thirteen. Before developing the murals that would make him famous, Brown sold his paintings locally and became a familiar presence in galleries throughout Palo Alto and San Francisco. In 1974, he was featured in a solo exhibition at the Palo Alto Art Center titled Drawings and Prints by Greg Brown. The following year, he became Palo Alto’s artist-in-residence—what he fondly called a “community artist”—through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA).
The recognition Brown gained from his Pedestrian Series led to a growing number of public and private commissions. His most notable clients included Oscar Mayer heiress Ellie Meyer Bryden and the Bank of America headquarters in San Francisco. Beyond his trompe l’oeil murals, Brown also produced posters and cards featuring his playful “vegetables on vacation” illustrations through his business, Whitney Hopter Graphics. In 2003, he returned to the Palo Alto Art Center for another solo exhibition, Unlikely Saints, which showcased twelve oil portraits of his friends and acquaintances.
Brown’s murals became deeply embedded in Palo Alto’s cultural identity—and even reached beyond it—in creative and unexpected ways. The Pedestrian Series appeared in newspaper advertisements and postcards, the Crashed Spaceship mural was once featured on University National Bank’s credit cards, and his mural in Palo Alto’s sister city of Linköping, Sweden, remains visible today. In 2007, he was named Artist of the Year for California’s 11th State Senate District.
Archival photos of artist Greg Brown painting murals in downtown Palo Alto. Photos by Carolyn Caddes, Courtesy of Palo Alto Historical Association.
What is Tromp L'Oeil
Trompe l’oeil, literally “to deceive the eye” in French, is a painting technique that creates the illusion of real objects or spaces. Popularized during the Renaissance, it appeared in portraits, still lifes, architectural details, and more. Brown used shadows, perspective, and the surrounding architecture to make his trompe l’oeil murals feel seamlessly integrated into their environments. By adapting this long-standing tradition to his own playful vision, he transformed ordinary spaces into moments of surprise, imagination, and delight.
Greg Brown Murals Scavenger Hunt
Find all the site-specific murals created by artist Greg Brown! Download the Scavenger Hunt (PDF, 3MB) or access the full map with locations and prompts on Mapme.