John Pugh creates large public trompe l’oeil murals that are meant to look like realistic scenes.  In a personal artist statement, John says that: Public art is of great interest to me; providing me with a sense of purpose as it is a very powerful form of communication. It can link people together, stimulate a […]

John Pugh designs very large trompe l’oeil optical illusion murals and he is doing exactly what he wants to be doing. I have found that the “language” of life-size illusions allow me to communicate with a very large audience. It seems almost universal that people take delight in being visually tricked. Once captivated by the […]

The title of this realistic wall mural located on Main Street in Los Gatos, California is Siete Punto Uno (or seven point one).  The title is a reference to the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that caused significant damage throughout the community of Los Gatos.   The quake reached a surface-wave magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter […]

This mural is located on the east side of the Lani Nalu Plaza building in Honolulu, Hawaii.  The entire scene is painted on a flat wall.  The stairs, children, and wave are all part of the illusion of depth. To see more of John Pugh’s mural works, visit his website Art of John Pugh.

John Pugh is an American artist known for this large three-dimensional trompe l’oeil wall murals.  One of his most famous murals, titled Academe, was painted on a wall on the side of Alva P. Taylor Hall at Chico State University in California.  As a passerby, it appears that the wall of the building has crumbled […]