You’ve seen his work, but chances are you don’t know his name: Bayne Gardner, the artist behind many of Eugene’s iconic public art murals and several of the Simpsons-themed murals in and around downtown Springfield.
Along with the Simpsons murals, which are now tourist attractions in the area, one recognizable Gardner piece is the salmon and ibis bird mural soaring over the intersection of Broadway and Willamette. Gardner’s University of Oregon murals have featured Steve Prefontaine and the Ducks mascot.
Gardner says he dreamed of being an artist and he enjoys working outdoors, which the mural-painting process allows him to do. In the early stages, he envisions the piece and then makes plans to scale it up. He then gathers supplies, often working with spray paint and acrylics. Murals take different lengths of time to complete, depending on the size and scope of the project.
“Sometimes, I walk into projects blindly and try to get inspired,” Gardner says. “Sometimes, it hits me, exactly what I’m going to paint. Other times it takes me months to try to figure it out, and sometimes I still get it wrong.”
Gardner also assisted Argentine artist Franco Fasoli on a now iconic mural on the outside back wall of the McDonald Theatre, viewable from the Lane Transit District’s downtown station surrounding blocks, part of the city of Eugene’s 20 X 21 mural project.
City of Eugene Cultural Services Director Isaac Marquez helped select Gardner for the McDonald Theatre project.
“We knew the scale and vision of the project called for a strong, reliable collaborator,” Marquez says. “We hired Gardner to support the installation, trusting in his unwavering work ethic, approachable nature, and deep respect for public art. Bayne’s presence on the project brought a grounded, collaborative energy that made him an ideal partner for Fasoli — and helped bring this striking mural to life in the heart of downtown Eugene.”
Gardner’s salmon and ibis mural, Marquez says, “combines a vibrant color palette, precise rendering, and captivating graphics to capture attention. But what truly sets this mural apart is its depth. It invites viewers not only to appreciate the visual impact but to pause and reflect on the deeper story it conveys, turning a public space into an immersive experience.”
Gardner says he creates up to 15 murals a year, combining public and private commissions and projects he’s pitched to private property owners.
As his work reflects, Gardner finds inspiration in the natural world, in realistic flowers, animals, and landscapes rendered in bright hues that catch the eye from a distance — or as Gardner puts it, “nature put against the hard urban landscapes of buildings and architecture.”
“I want the littlest and the oldest to love it,” Gardner says of his murals. The Simpsons commissions are a tribute to creator Matt Groening’s designs, he adds. And “I love cartoons.”
Justin Bauer co-owns the building where the ibis and salmon mural lives. Gardner also painted that mural as part of the 20×21 project, meant to celebrate what was then the upcoming Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene. He painted a tiger-eye design on the east end of the building as well, revealing his inspiration through nature.
The salmon and ibis mural was a confluence of inspirations. Bauer, who is a supporter of public art, had been considering a mural to deter graffiti when the city approached him about the 20×21 project. And it was also around that same time that he met Gardner.
“Bayne is Eugene’s blue-collar muralist,” Bauer says, “and I say that with the utmost respect. He has his style, but as much as anything, he just loves to paint big and colorful, and he has always been willing to work with any client, adding his creative influence to their vision, which is an extremely hard thing to do.”
Gardner’s willingness collaborate on a client’s vision, rather than dominate the artwork with his own, “is why I believe he is the most prolific muralist in the area,” Bauer says.
Gardner says that when he started 15 years ago, “there were not that many murals. I saw this community as needing public art, needing murals.” Becoming a full-time muralist was a leap of faith, he adds, but work has kept coming, and he’d like to see public art opportunities in the area grow.
Bauer agrees: “I wish we had public art on every building.”
