Artist: They Drift (Carlos Aguilar) (website, Instagram)
Location: Parking lot behind 2nd Avenue between Battery & Bell
Mural Description 
(click to listen to the description)
Tucked into a Belltown parking lot on First Avenue, Unidos is one of the most vibrant works to emerge from the Belltown Mural Festival. Created by Seattle-based artist They Drift — the working name of Carlos Aguilar — the piece announces itself in bold, luminous color, a face holding a candle radiating hope outward into the alley.
Carlos is, by all accounts, a deeply emotional artist, and Unidos reflects that. The mural was designed to evoke positivity and human connection in abstract form, drawing on his own background while projecting something universal onto the wall. The central image — a girl’s face cradling a candle — is an intentional gesture toward community, warmth, and what it means to hold light for others.
Technically, the piece came together remarkably fast: roughly four days, painted with bold spray colors using a doodle-grid method to scale the design accurately across the large surface. The building owners, far from asking him to tone it down, pushed him to go more vibrant — a rare and welcome request.Unidos is the first of what may eventually become a fully transformed parking lot, as more walls in the same space are planned for future festivals. For now, it’s a striking reminder that even an overlooked corner of the city can hold something genuinely beautiful.
Artist Statement (click to listen to the description)
They Drift (Carlos Aguilar) bio from Belltown Mural Festival:
Carlos Aguilar is a Mexican American artist with over 20 years of mural experience, including 14 years based in Seattle. His work is recognized for blending the vibrant, dynamic energy of street art with the timeless elegance of classic portraiture. Drawing inspiration from both graffiti culture and the masters, my art reflects a unique expression of contemporary culture.
Back to the Belltown Murals: map, overview web page