ABG in May and June: The Team, Walls that Speak, and a C-33 License
- Arely Lopez
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
We are long overdue for updated team photos, so allow us to refresh your memory on the faces and brains behind ABG Art Group’s creative and community work.
(**in true sports-fan spirit, cue commentator voice**)
Introducing ABG's starting five:
Founder & Principal: Sorell Raino-Tsui
Co-Founder & President: Elliot Trent Thompson
VP Arts Advisory: Johara (Joey) Owens
Business Manager: Erica Enriquez
Community Manager: Arely Lopez
A solid team. A powerhouse.
It's a guaranteed WIN every time these brains are together.
New 700 ft Wide Mural in Reno, Nevada
ABG had the incredible opportunity to leave their stamp in Reno, Nevada -- and that we did!
Stretching 700 feet wide and rising 20 feet tall, this mural transforms the Reno landscape into a living timeline. The artwork moves fluidly from daylight to nightfall, from desert light and mountain silhouettes to imagery honoring the region’s native peoples. The goal was simple: honor Reno’s living ecosystem – its people, its streets, its flora and fauna, and its spirit.
We'd like to take a moment to thank the entire team for countless hours working under the Nevada sun and completing this ginormous mural.
Lead Muralists: Sorell Raino-Tsui and Elliot Trent Thompson from ABG
Assistant Muralists: Ernest Doty, Kalani Ware, Louka Peterson, Pat O’Neill
More photos of the completed piece coming soon! Check out the mural and hear what the local Reno news had to say.
ABG and a C-33 License
ABG officially acquired a C‑33 Painting and Decorating Contractor License, marking a major step forward for our team and the artists we work with. In California, this license is required for large‑scale mural and surface projects, and earning it takes time, experience, and persistence.
But for us, it’s more than paperwork. It’s about breaking barriers to entry for artists who want to work at scale and making sure creative labor is recognized at the same level as any other trade. This milestone reflects ABG’s commitment to building infrastructure that supports artists not just creatively, but structurally.
There’s also an important statewide context. California recently passed Senate Bill 456, which creates a new license exemption for muralists starting January 1, 2026. The law clarifies that artists who draw, paint, restore, or conserve murals by hand will no longer be required to hold a contractor’s license. This change comes after years of confusion, when the Contractors State License Board began requiring muralists to obtain a C‑33 or D‑64 license for public work.
Even with this exemption on the horizon, holding a C‑33 still matters. It allows ABG to:
Lead and manage large‑scale, multi‑artist projects
Bid on public contracts that still require a licensed contractor
Support artists who want to move into professionalized, paid public work
Build long‑term pathways where artists can operate with confidence and protection
In other words, the exemption expands access — and the C‑33 strengthens the foundation.
And one of the first places we put that C‑33 license to work was in Richmond where ABG served as the project’s C‑33 sponsor for a new mural at Shields‑Reid Park.
Alex Bowman x ABG at Shields-Reid Park in Northern Richmond
The piece, painted by Alex Bowman with support from Patric O’Neil, is part of the park’s larger renovation — a project bringing new fields, lighting, play areas, and community spaces to a neighborhood that’s long gone without. The mural sits alongside the park’s new stage and public art features, adding color and identity to a space that serves North Richmond families, youth, and the local soccer community.
A Mural Program is Coming to Walnut Creek: July 1st – 15th!
We want to bring an exciting new public art initiative launching this summer to your attention: The Walnut Creek Mural Program happening July 1–15!
This public art initiative will transform the block into a living studio for two weeks, bringing four new large‑scale murals to 1419 N Broadway. Four accomplished Bay Area artists will create the work live, offering a rare look at the creative process and the evolving landscape of regional muralism.
Check out the press release below. Don't miss it!
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