By Terri Price, special to the Blog
If you’ve recently crossed Greenwood Avenue at N 83rd Street (by Coyle’s and Hazel Salon & Organics), you’ve likely noticed a new burst of color and playful characters celebrating the joy of biking through the neighborhood. This newly installed signal box artwork beside the only dedicated bike crossing along the PhinneyWood corridor, comes from the creative mind of local artist, cyclist, and lifelong Phinney Ridge resident Bryen Graver.
For Bryen, the inspiration was immediate.
“Over the years, riding along the ridge and watching hundreds of others do the same has been my favorite way to enjoy the neighborhood,” he shares. “So when I learned I was selected for the N 83rd St/Greenwood Ave signal box—right at this unique cycling crossing—my direction was clear: celebrate the joy of riding PhinneyWood by bike.”
From Clean Lines to Character-Filled Scenes
A career graphic designer for over 13 years, Bryen is used to working within the structured, corporate world of sales and marketing communications. The signal box presented both a challenge and an opportunity:
“It was about breaking free from my clean, corporate tendencies and creating something relatable, approachable, diverse, and expressive.”
He began by hand-sketching the characters—starting with a bike-riding sasquatch, a PNW nod to the fun and freedom of cycling. Other characters followed, inspired by real-life PhinneyWood riders: a mother with her kids in a cargo bike, a wolf riding alongside them (a reference to the howls of children in the 99 underpass), and more.
The process blended traditional and digital tools: graphite pencils, Micron pens, a Japanese brush pen, scanning, vectorizing in Illustrator, and composing the final piece digitally. A carefully built color palette tied it all together—balancing SDOT’s requirements with the bold, bright tones that make the characters pop.
An Invitation to Explore
Bryen hopes his work inspires neighbors to get out on two wheels:
“Maybe ride your bike to Coyle’s for a coffee and pastry, park at the bike racks right by the box, and watch the amazing variety of cyclists crossing PhinneyWood.”
A Year of New Beginnings
The project holds personal meaning for Bryen in a year of big transitions—becoming a father in July and launching his own freelance design business, Graver Creative LLC.
“I’m proud to have designed something for the neighborhood my son will grow up in. It’s also been the catalyst for me stepping into graphic art after years of keeping that creative part of myself on the back burner.”
Local Favorites
When asked for his go-to PhinneyWood spots, Bryen gives shoutouts to Sully’s Snowgoose Tavern, El Chupacabra, Ben’s Bread, and the so-called “tulip house” on Fremont Ave—especially in spring when it overflows with blooms.
So next time you’re in Greenwood, hop on your bike, cross at N 83rd, and take a moment to enjoy the joy-filled, bike-loving world Bryen has brought to life.