Words and images by Austin Kaus
Logan Beert loves comics and creating creatures. Art Alley was the logical next stop.
The sun is shining on a downtown Rapid City alley. Headphones on and paint brush in hand, Logan Beert is a focused man. But he’s not worried about people stopping him for vandalism.
“I think the outfit helps,” he says through a grin. “Being covered in paint makes you look more official.”
Logan, 21, is the latest artist to add his vision to Rapid City’s Art Alley, an alley that connects Sixth and Seventh streets between Main and St. Joseph in downtown Rapid City. In the past 20 years, the alley has transformed from a place with random – and often pretty basic – graffiti to a public art space embraced by the city and artists intent on keeping it alive and ever-evolving.
Logan heard from a friend that Art Alley had an opening for new art. One simple application process later, he was approved and financed. And that’s how he ended up in Art Alley on an August afternoon.
Logan’s love of art and comic books came at an early age with Spider-Man coloring books. “I just always had a big smelly box of Crayolas at home.” That led to art classes — when he wasn't doodling in notebooks, of course — and one project stuck: painting a skateboard. "That was kind of my jam," Logan says. "I just stuck with that."
On a warm day, Logan is making monsters. There are two creatures stacked up, part Muppet and part dustball. A third flies in the air beside a tall yellow creature. On the other side of a sticker-covered pole in Art Alley stands an astronaut in red cargo shorts. A long-necked dinosaur sits in a “SODAK” shirt beside the final creature. The head is a purple-mohawked skull. Is it climbing the wall or using its orange & black wings? It’s the viewer’s choice.
“These images just came to me,” Logan says with a modest grin. “Now I’m going to get it out of my head.”
And the more Logan's work progressed, the more people noticed. A woman stops to ask if she can snap some pictures while he works. When the official artist reception takes place later that week, the alley is teeming with people fascinated to see the latest addition to Art Alley. A local stand-up comedian chats with folks as a busker plays acoustic guitar. Many want their picture taken with Logan’s creations. That’s just what he was hoping for.
“If you go and stand and pose by the mural, no matter who you are, you’ll be the normal one,” Logan says. “Because by comparison, there’s a 9-foot alien.”
To learn more about Art Alley, check out the official website and this photo essay. To follow Logan Beert's artistic journey, check him out on Instagram at @LoganBeert.
