Born and raised in Durham, multidisciplinary artist Gabriel Eng-Goetz has worked for himself for the last 10 years. He has three public art pieces in Raleigh and more than 15 murals across the Triangle.
We asked Gabriel 10 questions about his creative process, local inspirations, and favorite Raleigh spots.
Boxyard RTP mural | Photo provided by Gabriel Eng-Goetz
What is your creative process like?
It begins with community engagement — asking for feedback from the community in the area that the piece is actually going to be. I’m just a vessel to channel all of the feedback into a piece of art that’s representative of those people and their area. Once I have a vision in my head, I put pen to paper. And then I paint. Projects can span anywhere from a couple of weeks to several years.
Where do you go for inspiration?
A lot of my work is informed by nature. For the first 12 years of my life my art was pretty much exclusive to dinosaurs and animals. I was always really inspired by the natural world and still am. Outside of creating art, my favorite pastimes are spent outdoors fishing, boating, kayaking, and hiking.
Willard Street mural | Photo provided by Gabriel Eng-Goetz
What piece in your portfolio are you most proud of?
The Tribes of the Piedmont mural — it’s on the Willard Street Apartments, which is a large affordable housing complex in downtown Durham. We made the piece a celebration of the formerly indigenous land and the tribes that inhabited the area. I worked with the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation Tribal Council and got their blessing to create the piece. I also got their guidance creating the imagery, like the red-tailed hawk which is the symbol of their tribe.
Want to know more of Gabriel’s Raleigh faves, who he’s inspired by, or what he’s working on next? Click the button below.
Raleigh Night Market | Thurs., June 16 | 5 p.m.-9 p.m. | City Market | Free | Spend an evening shopping from local artisans while enjoying food trucks + live entertainment. 🛍️
Jon Lovitz | Thurs., June 16 | 7 p.m. | Raleigh Improv, 1224 Parkside Main St., Cary | $30+ | Laugh along with this comedian on the opening night of his Raleigh show.
Friday
Juneteenth Joy | Fri., June 17 | 7-10:30 p.m. | NCMA | $50+ | Join this celebration of freedom and gospel music featuring artist Gene Hoskins and The Napper Singers quartet. 🎶
Summer Camp Shindig | Fri., June 17 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Marbles Kids Museum, 201 E. Hargett St. | $12+ | Adults 21+ can play in the museum and participate in camp activities like archery and tie dye.
Saturday
Oberlin Village Heritage 5K | Sat., June 18 | 8 a.m. | Dix Park | $45 | Honor the history, contributions + achievements of the area through this run. 🏃
Father’s Day Jazz Concert | Sat., June 18 | 3-5 p.m. | Raleigh Founded, 2409 Crabtree Blvd. | $25+ | Listen to Kahlil Kwame Bell perform on the slapaphone.
North Carolina FC vs. Charlotte Independence | Sat., June 18 | 7 p.m. | WakeMed Soccer Park, 101 Soccer Park Dr., Cary | $15+ | The Regional Rivals Series continues as North Carolina takes on Charlotte. ⚽*
Sunday
Father’s Day Downtown Murals & Public Art Tour | Sun., June 19 | 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | 300 S. Salisbury St. | Free, suggested $15 | Take your dad to see some of Raleigh’s large-scale murals and public artworks. 🖼
Dad’s Steak Night | Sun., June 19 | 1 + 4 p.m. | Sur La Table, 4421 Six Forks Rd. | $79 | If dad’s favorite meal is steak and potatoes, then there’s no better way to celebrate them. 🥩
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
INDY Week dropped its 2022 Best of the Triangle winners and we’re loving the Raleigh representation. Logan’s Garden Shop won Best Garden Store, Snoopy’s won Best Hot Dog + Trophy Brewing’s “Trophy Wife” won Best Locally Made Craft Beer. Check out all 344 categorieshere. 🏆
Civic
The Raleigh City Councilapproved a $1.1 billion city budget on Monday. The new budget, effective July 1, increases homeowner taxes + raises the city property tax rate by 5% to help pay police and firefighters more money. Read the full budget here. (The News & Observer)
Festival
The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and PineCone announced the full lineup for the 2022 IBMA Bluegrass Live! at Red Hat Amphitheater. The downtown music festival is from Fri., Sept. 30-Sat., Oct. 1 and will feature performers like The Infamous Stringdusters and Molly Tuttle. 🎶
Sports
We have a date. The micro soccer field will return to City Plaza on Mon., July 18. The pitch, which includes a playing surface, walls, nets, and goals, will be set up through Labor Day. ⚽
Biz
Raleigh startupRelay is moving to North Hills following a 645% growth rate over the past year. The company puts modern communications tools in the hands of frontline workers. Relay’s new offices will be on the 18th floor of the Advance Auto Parts tower. (Triangle Business Journal)
Outdoors
NC is buying one of the last “vast wilderness areas” in the Triangle to preserve a large undeveloped area along the Neuse River. The state is purchasing the 1,127 acres of forest and farmland from the Triangle Land Conservancy for $2.9 million in response to Johnston County’s rapid growth. (The News & Observer)
Raleighite
Local educator Joann Blumenfeld is one of 10 people on the TIME Innovative Teachers 2022 list. Joann is a special-education teacher at Broughton + launched and directs Catalyst, a NC State program that opens STEM opportunities to high schoolers with disabilities. Congratulations, Joann. 🎉
Try This
Get a taste of Spain in the 919. The Willard is hosting a Northern Spain wine class on Thurs., June 23 from 5:30-7 p.m. Beverage Manager Conrad Most will teach about the region’s wine while guests sample three varieties paired with cheese and charcuterie.
Survey
Take the survey, win $1,000 cash. Take a brief survey to let us know what you think about the RALtoday newsletter + be entered into a drawing to win cash.
Eat
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Editor’s pick: Thank you, INDY Week, for my new Sunday morning plans. I’ll be sipping on Arteao black tea while I (attempt to) complete this Triangle crossword puzzle. I hope the New York Times mini prepared me for this. ✍️
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