Kalamazoo Muralist Brings Joy with VR-Powered Artworks

Patrick Hershberger, known as 'GOBONUSSAVES', has transformed the city's landscape with over 100 vibrant murals.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Patrick Hershberger, a 311 specialist for the city of Kalamazoo by day, has become a prolific muralist known as 'GOBONUSSAVES'. Over the past 13 years, he has created well over 100 murals across the city, beautifying neighborhoods, businesses, and community spaces. Hershberger has recently started using virtual reality technology to sketch out his murals, which has streamlined his process and allowed him to work on an even larger scale.

Why it matters

Hershberger's murals have become an integral part of Kalamazoo's visual landscape, bringing color, joy, and a sense of community to the city. His use of VR technology to create these works showcases how artists are embracing new tools to enhance their creative process and output. Hershberger's community-focused approach also highlights the power of public art to celebrate local culture and identity.

The details

Hershberger uses a VR headset to 'sketch' out his mural designs, projecting the image onto the wall and then painting over it. This new technique has saved him hours of time compared to his previous methods of free-handing or using a projector. While not all of his murals are created this way, the VR process has allowed Hershberger to take on larger, more ambitious projects, including an 80-foot mural during the 2025 Brush the Block festival. Even for smaller murals, like the ones he's done at Game Pawn, Hershberger still opts to free-hand with a pencil when the subject matter aligns with his love of gaming and comics.

  • Hershberger has been working as a professional muralist for 13 years.
  • He completed his largest mural to date during the Brush the Block 2025 mural festival in Kalamazoo.
  • Hershberger started using VR technology to sketch his murals in recent years, which has streamlined his process.

The players

Patrick Hershberger

A 311 specialist for the city of Kalamazoo by day, Hershberger is a prolific muralist known by his tag 'GOBONUSSAVES'. He has created over 100 murals across Kalamazoo over the past 13 years.

Chase Hunter

The manager of Game Pawn, a video game and collectible store in Kalamazoo, where Hershberger has created several murals.

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What they’re saying

“He'll have it like projected on the VR headset and he'll paint with the VR headset on. That was the first time I saw anyone do it. Which is really cool.”

— Chase Hunter, Game Pawn manager (mlive.com)

“Anytime someone gives me an excuse to nerd out on gaming or comics, I will gladly take them up on it.”

— Patrick Hershberger (mlive.com)

What’s next

Hershberger plans to continue using VR technology to create even more large-scale murals across Kalamazoo, further transforming the city's visual landscape.

The takeaway

Hershberger's murals have become an integral part of Kalamazoo's identity, showcasing how public art can bring joy, community, and a sense of local pride to a city. His embrace of VR technology demonstrates how artists are leveraging new tools to enhance their creative process and expand the scale of their work.