In The Paint: Cleveland Cavaliers x Sprite Mural Collaboration

Credit to Brett Vance for filming/cinematography | @brettvance._

Project Overview

The In The Paint initiative, presented by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sprite, invited local artists to submit original artwork for the opportunity to collaborate on a large-scale public mural. The selected artist would work alongside Glen Infante of Infante Arts Studio, a Cleveland muralist known for his public artwork throughout Northeast Ohio.

I submitted a concept, was selected, and shortly after received an email introducing me to the team. What followed was a collaborative process involving Glen, Infante Arts Studio, ABV Agency, the Cavaliers, Sprite, and several other stakeholders. From the beginning, it was clear this wasn't just about painting a wall—it was a coordinated project with multiple teams, approvals, and moving parts working toward the same goal.

Design Development

The project kicked off with a series of Zoom meetings to establish creative direction. Working with Glen, we developed concepts that fit within his established visual style while contributing ideas that supported the overall campaign. Throughout the process, artwork moved through multiple rounds of revisions as feedback came in from the Cavaliers, Sprite, ABV Agency, and the project's creative team.

Like most commercial work, the final design wasn't the first design. It was the result of collaboration, communication, and refining ideas until everyone involved was confident in the direction.

Planning & Logistics

While the artwork was being finalized, another team was working behind the scenes to find the right location. Site visibility, property approvals, scheduling, and production logistics all influenced the timeline. At one stage, the mural was planned as a permanent painted installation on brick, but after discussions with the building owner, the project shifted to a large-format vinyl application.

Projects at this scale rarely follow a straight line. Between weather delays, location scouting, scheduling conflicts, and production changes, the timeline stretched well beyond what anyone originally expected.

From Concept to Installation

After nearly two years of planning, revisions, and coordination, I got a text from Glen in late April of 2026 letting me know it was finally time to get to work.

The project had landed at 27 Club Coffee, giving the mural a highly visible home in Cleveland. By that point, most of the work had already happened behind the scenes. Once we arrived on site, it was time to execute everything we'd spent months planning.

On the Wall

Installation took roughly three to four days. We were fortunate to have good weather for most of it, although working beneath the bridge created a constant wind tunnel that made things interesting. Like any mural project, there were adjustments throughout the process—working from ladders, checking alignment, adapting to the surface, and solving problems as they came up.

Working with Glen at scale was a valuable experience, and being part of the installation reinforced just how much planning and precision goes into public artwork.

The Details

Some of my favorite photos from the project aren't the finished mural—they're the small moments that happen while building it. Open paint cans, brushes, layout marks, ladders, and the little details that most people never see are all part of the process.

It's easy to focus on the final image, but projects like this are built through hundreds of small decisions made by artists, producers, agencies, and installers working together toward the same outcome.