In the spirit of partnership, we’re sharing highlights from our sister newsroom at The Enterprise (www.theenterprise.net) to help keep our readers in Henry County and Martinsville informed.
By Taylor Boyd
A colorful new mural on a water tank overlooking the Mayo River Rail Trail has become the trail’s newest piece of public art.
The project, proposed and supported by Bull Mountain Arts (BMA), was completed earlier this month by Roanoke muralist Jon Murrill. The mural features a child’s hand reaching into the Mayo River toward a trout, along with a dragonfly, wildflowers, grasses and other natural elements.
Bull Mountain Arts President Lora Mahaffey said the idea began about two years ago during a conversation with Patrick County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rebecca Adcock.
Before work began, Bull Mountain Arts members and Town of Stuart officials met with Murrill to discuss ideas for the design.
The project moved forward after a longtime Bull Mountain Arts supporter agreed to fund it and encouraged Mahaffey to contact Murrill, who previously painted the goddess mural on the side of Pickle & Ash in Patrick Springs.
“I loved it and I wanted him to do it,” Mahaffey said.
Before work began, Bull Mountain Arts members and Town of Stuart officials met with Murrill to discuss ideas for the design.
Murrill “went away with all of these notes and ideas and a lot of questions and came back with his original designs and got feedback from us as well at that point. We just loved what he did,” Mahaffey said.
Roanoke muralist Jon Murrill recently completed a mural on the water tank overlooking the Mayo River Rail Trail in Stuart.
