James Carey is an artist who’s not afraid of Bigfoot or of being silly. In his Sasquatch Sandwich mural outside of what used to be Deo’s Sandwich Shop (now Chicago Dog House), Carey creates an inviting cartoony composition centered on a happy Bigfoot eating a sandwich. Bigfoot stands with his long hair flowing, his bushy eyebrows raised, his thick mustache drooping, and his big teeth ready to take another bite of his sandwich.
James Carey created this mural for the 2020 Eureka Street Art Festival, and during the 2019 ESAF he painted another Sasquatch-inspired mural in collaboration with Dave Van Patten. He says he “likes to create work that is fun, colorful, and positive.” Through these qualities, Carey was able to take a mysterious and scary creature like Bigfoot, and turn him into someone who entices the viewer to eat a sandwich.In the mural, delicate flowers grow by Bigfoot’s feet and orange butterflies dance around him, illustrating his non-threatening nature. Behind him are rolling green hills and trees mirroring the Humboldt landscape. At the top of the mural there is a multicolored sunset with blue fluffy clouds. In many ways, this Bigfoot is similar to the people of Humboldt because he is just another local enjoying a delicious sandwich outdoors. With frequent Bigfoot sightings reported in Humboldt County, perhaps it is possible that one could spot him local fare at sunset!
