With my health club temporarily closed, I am doing all of my running outside. My journeys take me by some beautiful street art. I’ve always been a fan of public art displays. Not only does art enhance the scenery, it also forces the mind to take a break from the regular routine.

After quitting his job as a writer, WrdSmth combined his passion for writing and street art to create iconic street art messages. Positive messages on a white page appear above classic typewriters in his simple but impactful art.

Self-taught, Paris-based artist Astro Odv Cbs started painting in 2000. His abstract art combines curves, calligraphy and dynamic forms. In 2017 he used the side of the Curagh Irish Pub in Downtown Skokie as his canvas.

Chicago-based artist Sick Fisher‘s passion is beautifying neglected spaces, such as abandoned storefronts and walls, with his art. In 2017 he took his talent to the 3,200-square-foot wall of the Skokie Theatre, a project that took nearly four weeks to complete.

Specializing in illustration, oddity art, doodle art, street art and murals, Lauren Asta works completely freehand. With the goal of promoting artistic talent and engaging the community, the Skokie Public Arts Advisory Committee commissioned Asta’s mural at Miishkooki Art Space as the first work in the mural project.

As my run mileage increases, I am discovering more art in the new areas I cover. Over the summer I run hundreds of miles, and I look forward to finding more murals.

— John Wroblewski, online writer