Media
Pen’s Story
Pen Macias is a Tucson-based muralist and multimedia artist whose work radiates color, culture, and community. Originally from Alabama, Pen arrived in Tucson at 19 intending a brief visit and never left. One trip down Fourth Avenue sealed the deal: “It felt like home. The color, the creativity—I knew I belonged.”
That magnetic pull toward art started early. Pen attended an arts magnet school and painted her first murals at just 15, often with the full blessing (and walls) of her hippie parents. But it was during the quiet chaos of the pandemic that her creative spark turned into a full-fledged career. A mural painted in her home caught fire on social media, prompting friends, and strangers, to commission new work. What began as a hobby evolved into a thriving practice, one brushstroke at a time...
Today, Pen is known for large-scale murals that blend Tucson history, vibrant characters, and playful energy. Her creative process begins with deep connection, spending time in a space, feeling its rhythm, and sketching concepts directly onto photos before translating them to the wall using projectors, grids, or even virtual reality tools like Oculus.
Her fingerprints are all over the city:
- A Sun Tran Rider Guide cover capturing the heartbeat of Tucson
- Vinyl-wrapped utility boxes featuring whimsical creatures in downtown and beyond
- A powerful tribute mural for Tucson’s 250+ Celebration, honoring the women who helped shape the city’s cultural legacy
In every project, Pen brings humor, humility, and a deep love for her adopted home. Whether it’s a desert monster riding in a sidecar or a mural-within-a-mural nod to fellow artist Joe Pagac, her work surprises, delights, and pays homage to Tucson’s rich artistic fabric.
Follow Pen’s colorful world on Instagram @thedesertpen