Hitchhikers

Artist Statement — Hitchhikers
By Osiris Rain and Emily Ding
Springfield, Missouri — Overlay Fest, October 2025

Hitchhikers celebrates the spirit of exploration, freedom, and connection that has defined America’s storied relationship with the open road. Created in collaboration by artists Osiris Rain and Emily Ding for Overlay Fest, this mural captures the nostalgic energy of travel and the sense of wonder that accompanies the journey rather than the destination.

At the center stands a figure with her thumb outstretched, inviting both the viewer and her animal companions, symbols of curiosity, instinct, and companionship, to join her on an adventure down Route 66. Surrounding her, vivid fields of color and layered imagery evoke the shifting landscapes and memories one gathers while traveling through the heartland. In the background, a sign marks Springfield 100 miles, a nod to both the anticipation of arrival and the stories that unfold along the way.

Painted in downtown Springfield, the mural occupies the very site where the Colonial Hotel once stood as a historic landmark, where Route 66 was officially named on April 30, 1926. It was from this spot, just across from the Gillioz Theatre, that officials sent the telegram proposing the name for the new transcontinental highway, forever establishing Springfield as the birthplace of Route 66. Though the hotel has since been demolished and replaced by a parking lot, Hitchhikers breathes life back into this space, honoring its role in shaping one of America’s greatest cultural symbols.

As the centennial of Route 66 approaches, this mural serves as both a tribute and an invitation to remember the road’s origins, to celebrate the spirit of discovery that drives us forward, and to embrace the endless journey that connects us all.