23ABC speaks with artists behind viral Kobe mural

23ABC spoke with 2 of the 3 artists behind the viral Kobe Bryant mural.

A PHOTO OF VANESSA BRYANT WITHHER THREE DAUGHTERS ASTHEY PAID TRIBUTE TO KOBE ANDGIGI BRYANT... BY POSING INFRONT OF A MURAL ON SUNDAY.23ABC'S KYLIE WALKER SPOKE WITHTWO OF THE ARTISTS BEHINDTHE PAINTING."WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH PHOTOSOFKOBE AND GIANA BRYANT ONLINE ANDONCE WE SAW THAT PHOTO WE JUSTBOTHKNEW THAT WAS THE ONE"THIS PHOTO WENT VIRAL ON SOCIALMEDIA ..AFTER VANESSA BRYANTPOSTED A PHOTO ON HER INSTAGRAMPAGE STANDING INFRONT OF THE MURAL ..

HONORINGHER LATE HUSBANDAND DAUGHTER..

KOBE AND GIGI.ANOTHER ARTIST ..

ALEX VARESTAH..

SAYS IT WASN'T ABOUTBASKETBALL .."IT WASN'T ABOUT THE LAKERS ..IT WASABOUT A HELICOPTER FULL OFPEOPLE THAT LOST THEIR LIVES..SOTHAT'S WHY THEREWASN'T ANY PURPLE OR YELLOW ..OR ANY JERSEYS, OR ANYTHING TODO WITHBASKETBALL"THEY SAY THAT THE LOCATION OFTHE MURAL .... IS WHERE A LOT OFTHEIR INSPIRATION STEMMEDFROM...."IN NEWPORT BEACH AND KNOWINGTHATKOBE BRYANT AND THAT FAMILYLIVED THERE ..

AND SOME OF THEOTHER FAMILIES LIVED AROUNDTHERE... ""I KNOW THEY DRIVE UP AND DOWNTHATAREA A LOT ..

SO IT'S A LITTLEPIECE OF THEIR FAMILY THAT THEYGET TO SEE ..

AND IT'S AREMINDER TO THE COMMUNITY TOO"AND WHILE PAINTING THE MURAL..VARESTAH FELT A STRONG EMOTIONALPULL TO THIS STORY..."I LOST MY MOM AND MY BROTHERWHEN IWAS 11 WITHIN THE SAME MONTH OFEACH OTHER..

SO TO SEE FAMILIESSTRUGGLE BREAKS MY HEART"HE SAYS PAINTING HAS ALWAYS BEENHIS FORM OF ESCAPE..."GROWING UP .

I DIDN'T REALLYHAVETHE MEANS FOR THERAPY ORANYTHING LIKE THAT AND I WASKIND OF GOING THROUGH SOME STUFFTHROUGH MY YOUNGER YEARS ..

SOPAINTING WAS JUST A FORM OFEXPRESSION" HE SAYS HE ALSO HASA MURAL OF HIS MOTHER..

THAT HEAND AFRIEND CREATED IN LOS ANGELES..."IT BRINGS SUCH A DIFFERENTFEELINGTO HAVE THAT..

RATHER THAN JUSTGOING TO A GRAVEYARD ANDTRYING TO MOURN YOUR FAMILY..

ITBRINGS A LITTLE LIGHT TO THESITUATION"VARESTAH AND BLESSER SAY THEYHOPE THEY CAN CONTINUE TOMAKE AN IMPACT THROUGH THEIRARTISTRY .."WE HOPE THAT OUR ARTWORK CANMAKEYOU HAPPY..

YOU KNOW, WE JUSTREALLY FEEL FOR THE FAMILY""TO HAVE THAT VALIDATION FROMTHAT FAMILY FOR WHAT WASPAINTED..

WAS AMAZING..

AND TODO THE WALL JUSTUCE..

AND THE FAMILY JUSTICE..

ITMAKES ME FEEL SO GREAT "IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE THEMURAL ISLOCATED, IT'S ON PACIFIC COASTHIGHWAY IN NEWPORT BEACHWHERE THE MURAL IS LOCATED, IT'SON PACIFIC COASTHIGHWAY IN NEWPORT BEACHVARESTAH AND BLESSER SAY OTHERCOMPANIES AREASKING THEM TO PAINT MORE MURALSAROUND THE STATE.

BUT FOR NOWIN BAKERSFIELD I'M KYLIE WALKER.23 A-B-C.AND JUST INTO THE 23AB