Bunnie Reiss’s mural for the Hertel Avenue location of Joe’s Deli, entitled Magic Buffalo, features her signature interweaving of dreamlike imagery and mythological themes with delicate geometric tracery. Her work is influenced by her Polish and Russian heritage—especially Poland’s brightly colored folk art and the magical worlds of Russian fairytales—as well as her interest in unseen histories and our connection to animals and nature. The artist has commented, “I was raised in Colorado, with the blue skies and different colors of grass, flowers blooming—that vivid scenery also had an influence on me. I think the combination of those things has finally bubbled up to the surface. So much of art is about investigating yourself and your community.”

Reiss aims to bring people together with her work. She is determined to create spaces where people feel safe and can imagine a world that is beautiful and gentle. The artist has said:

“I want people to feel good when they’re looking at my work, to simply have a nice emotional response. Mural painting has a real function in a community. It beautifies neighborhoods, shares stories, encourages people to interact and gather, helps people slow down their busy lives. Murals reach a large demographic because they’re accessible and free to everybody. The public has a right to beautiful things.”

About Bunnie Reiss

Weaving together whimsical and fantastical narratives, Bunnie Reiss is a natural storyteller seeking to create work inspired by and filled with magic, imagination, and a love of nature. Reiss spent much of her career in the Bay Area before recently moving to Los Angeles. Since relocating, Reiss has inaugurated more than 14 mural projects in the area. “Painting murals is my favorite thing to do,” says the artist.