Tony Davis, co-owner of Luna Moth Tattoo and the artist behind the Salvation Army mural, has started work on a new project. After receiving approval from Martinsville City Council and the Art and Culture Committee, Davis submitted an application for a Harvest Foundation grant to create murals along the underpass on the Dick & Willie Trail.
The plan is to use art to engage, express, and help build confidence, transforming underused, high-traffic areas such as underpasses, concrete walls, and walkways into a community-created art gallery using permanent, hand-painted art.
The project will include multiple painted frames, some plain and others with gold filigree outlines, filled with chalkboard paint. These interactive “canvases” invite people of all ages to create, erase, and share their artwork.
Called “Drawn Together,” the project aims to transform overlooked public spaces such as bridge underpasses and walls into interactive art areas. These spaces would provide opportunities for people to engage in art, community, and fellowship.
The vision is to have the spaces reflect the artistic community and encourage others to find their voice. The project could also support rotating drawing themes, chalk art contests, community art days, and partnerships with schools for student takeovers or monthly showcases.
Davis said he has struggled with mental health issues and finds support in staying active. “I was cycling along the trail and came across these positive messages in chalk ‘you can do it’ and ‘I believe in you,’” he said.
“I want others to get that inspiration that I got when I saw someone’s chalk message.” Davis said he is fueled by his love for the community and the memory of his father, who died in 2017.
“Painting the city and beautifying it as a whole is important, but there are these spots in this town that are not just abandoned, they’re monuments to my childhood, they’re relics of our youth as a whole in this community,” he said. “I’m invested in this city, I own a business here, I own a house here, my family is here, I want this community to be as beautiful as the people in it.”
Davis is currently looking at other areas to paint and hopes to work with both the city and county to create a sort of “art walk” along the trail.
