From February to May 2024

Covington & Fincastle VA - Monroe Ave. Mural completed in partnership with the City of Covington. Adding work to the Fincastle Library in partnership with the Friends of the Library Group. 

The Blue Ridge Mountain scene spanning 450ft+ down Monroe Ave. is the first installment for this public mural located just down from Main St. - downtown. It took a total of 8 painting days (6-10hr) & 47 gallons of paint. 

​The Farmer's Market Mural restoration took 10 gallons of paint and two painting days.

The Fincastle Library project involved two different sections: the computer area & the Children's area. Highlighting the historic structures and recognizable aspects within Fincastle, VA. The computer area represents 6 different buildings within the town, where the children's area focused on the Fincastle landscape - spotlighting orchard trees, wildlife, and the surrounding mountains. ​

​I couldn’t have asked for a better experience partnering with the library director, Lisa Sponaugle, on this project. I enjoyed working on pieces that are slightly different than my normal work & having the opportunity to complete these pieces for the library I grew up visiting often. 

I have vivid memories of sitting in the exact same space at the age of 8...10..and 12yrs old , reading books that have impacted me to this day. 

​As I grew out of the kid's area, I grew into the aisles that held the information I needed on business, web design, and art history. I worked on my first website at 14yrs old on those public computers, printed my first art-show flyers on those printers, and read about famous works of art in those books. I learned and thrived, because I had access to a free-space full of information and inspiration.

This library has been a thread throughout the entirety of my life & I can only hope that my artwork finds its way into someone’s fond memories of the same space.
I will forever be grateful for this experience.

3Commissioned by the City of Covington, working with Allen Dressler to create a new look on this concrete wall leading into downtown on Monroe Ave. The inspiration for this work is part of a bigger project that will be completed later this year, but as for now this piece is complete! 

At 450+ ft long this is the largest mural I've completed to date & I'm not sure you can grasp the size until you walk by it for yourself, but I tried to capture it as best as possible on my phone camera. 23+ gallons of paint, 5 brushes, and about 84hrs of work went into making this happen. 

The Monroe Ave. Mural is officially the first mural of 2024, and I can't explain how wonderful this experience has been. Working with Allen Dressler & the City of Covington, VA has been an absolute joy and I feel at a loss for words to describe how encouraging everyone has been. Thank you all for every honk, holler, photo, and message! It means so so so much to me.
I love this community & I am grateful to call Covington home.
#Virginia #covingtonva #UniquelyAlleghany #alleghanyhighlands #muralist #mural #blueridgemountains

I have officially completed work on four murals spanning across three of the Botetourt County Libraries and I have some things that shouldn't go unsaid.

I have worked with many different organizations, and I have been blessed enough to complete commissioned work for over 150 clients. For those who may be unfamiliar with the process of creating and finalizing a mural, it's not as black and white as you'd think. With each project comes a unique set of restrictions as well as endless possibilities.

As an artist it's my job to help narrow down the vision, put together mockups, and make sure all the behind-the-scenes paperwork and communication is getting done efficiently. It's taken a few years of experience to develop a relatively smooth system. Since traveling the last 2 years working on the 50 in 50 Project I have averaged a turnaround time of 3 weeks, start to finish, on any given mural. From the first communication to the final day of painting. I value my time just as much as the time of those who give me the opportunity to share my work with them & their communities. I value professionalism more than most. Though you will frequently see me dressed in painted clothing and with messy hair I try my hardest to hold myself to a high standard for: 1. Responding quickly to emails and phone calls 2. Completing work in a timely manner 3. Being respectful & kind to those around me - no matter the circumstance. 

You need to know those things to fully understand what I'm about to say. The process of completing a mural is not a familiar one to most people, and it can be overwhelming. Especially to those who have full-time jobs that do not normally include public art or marketing. It has been a struggle in the past to receive feedback, to communicate clearly, and more times than not I find myself having to keep the project moving forward - don't get me wrong- That's all completly understandable and I have grown to expect it!
BUT
I have never experienced the level of professionalism & communication that I did from Jennifer Hannah, Jamie Duval, and Cheryl Wagner. As an artist it is very common to be put on the back burner, to be heavily criticized during the painting process, and I have found flexibility to be the greatest asset when working to gain approval from groups of people. However, they made my work the past three months more exciting, more enjoyable, and they have truly inspired the work that was completed at each location. Without the work and time that they put in these projects wouldn't have been possible. 

During my time working with all three Library Managers, I never found myself waiting weeks for a reply, I felt that my work and time was appreciated, and most importantly... The creative process was only enhanced and encouraged from their Friends of the Library groups. I don't know what I was expecting but whatever it was couldn't have been anything close to what I experienced. I was shocked by the work that all three libraires put into their communities and I was touched by the love and support those communities feel in return. 

It truly is a special perspective to be a muralist. I start my days early and most of the time get to see the beginning and end of a business day at any given location. I saw the abundant joy and heard the laughter from many patrons. Young children excited to see their favorite librarian. Adults coming to study, share their favorite books, or partake in groups like chess and quilting. People of any age having a safe and uniquely helpful space to fill out applications, complete online tasks, and expand their mind. 

I may be in the background with my headphones on, painting hours away, but don't think I miss things. Things like the teenage tutor who helps a student after school understand math, three days in a row. Things like the elderly couple who needs help with their yearly tasks that require a computer. Things like the homeschooled kids coming into the library to spend time with their friends. Things like grandparents reading a book enthusiastically to their grandchildren. Things like moms taking time each week to work with their children who can't read yet. The parents that find community inside of these libraries. Librarians who help, encourage, inspire, and value each patron that comes in. 

I may have been able to create artwork in each of these libraries, but don't let that distract from the truly amazing thing that is THE LIBRARY itself. If you have the time or resources to support your local library in any way I can't recommend it enough. 
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Welcome to Botetourt County Libraries | Botetourt County, VA (botetourtva.gov)
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