Artist Spotlight: Eamon Gillen

Eamon Gillen didn’t fall into art by accident—it’s been a steady part of his life from the beginning. His creative journey has been shaped by family, especially his mother (“the best artist I know”), and by the reality that turning talent into a career isn’t always easy. “I realized early on skill doesn’t necessarily transfer into financial gain, so I planned on working physical labor full time and figure ‘art’ out in the spare time,” he said. “Lucked out in a few ways but it’s still a hustle overall.”

That honest, workmanlike approach shows up in his mural, “3 Decker Lounging,” a playful, cartoon-inspired tribute to Worcester’s triple-decker homes. “Being in Worcester and growing up in 3 deckers I’ve been working on cartooning the local architecture,” Eamon explained. “I wanted to see what a 3 decker would look like in a pool of water and that’s where the design developed from.”

The piece was originally installed at the corner of Lakeside and Garland, a neighborhood he was excited to return to. “I painted a mural at Binienda Beach across Coes Pond from Lakeside years ago…I saw a lot of people utilizing the outdoor spaces, so I was really happy to get the catch basin in Lakeside.”

But just as the mural was taking shape (rollered out, detailed with brushes, and drawing praise from curious neighbors) it was unexpectedly painted over before he could finish. “The 2 days’ work I put down had been buffed (painted over). I had been completely erased before I even got to finish.”

His reaction was honest: “Initially anger. Behind that anger it was mostly being invalidated and/or dismissed mostly because I didn’t even get to finish it.” Eamon is no stranger to the unpredictability of public art, “Once I’m finished, I know I have no control over what happens,” but this hit differently. “It threw me off when I couldn’t finish before getting erased.”

Fortunately, another location was secured quickly, and Eamon was able to bring “3 Decker Lounging” to life at its new home outside East Middle School on Dorchester Street. “It helped a lot having y’all’s understanding and working to get another spot to paint cause that’s honestly all I wanted,” he said. “I enjoy the physical part of painting and having a finished painting that will last as long as it can and hopefully inspire someone walking by and noticing.”

That mix of dedication and humor defines Eamon’s creative style. “I’m a father of younger children so I’m generally keeping it fairly bright and humorous with a side of gnarly here and there,” he shared. “I think at the moment we have enough seriousness covered by the daily news so if I can get some brightness painted in someone’s path that they can maybe smile at that could be a win.”

He brings that same sensibility to his process. As a full-time tattooer, his focus has been on simplifying his work without losing impact. “Making something look easy or simple done right is not for the impatient,” he said. “Look at some award winning children illustration books and you might know what I mean.”

Painting outdoors, especially after a full day of work, brings its own challenges. “It’s probably going to be more time and physically taxing than you first planned,” he said. “One of my favorite things with doing public art is it can get humbling real quick as well. It’s a bummer getting negative comments online, but it is another animal when you’re getting it face to face in person when the piece isn’t even finished.”

Still, the community response was mostly positive. “Mostly ‘great job!’s and meeting people that have been in the neighborhood for a long time and trying to figure out who we know as a mutual friend and if I can get their name in there.”

His advice for young or emerging artists? “Make all the mistakes (hopefully learn). Don’t worry about online. That only shows successes. Don’t stop working though, if you enjoy the process, it’ll get you through.”

And one last tip from someone who knows the job inside and out:
“Invest in knee pads and clean out your local catch basins!”

“3 Decker Lounging” is part of the 2025 Worcester Green Corps Catch Basin Mural Project, created in partnership with the Worcester Green Corps, Sharinna Travieso, and the Worcester DPW. It is proudly supported by the Mass Cultural Council, the New England Grassroots Fund, and the FY25 State Earmark, allocated by Senator Mike Moore.  

You can follow Eamon’s work on:

• Instagram
• Instagram

Catch Basin Murals