Owner Mark Silverstein and General Manager Lolly Quigley were looking for a way to freshen the facade of longstanding business Dixie Products as well as to have an impact on the community. As Silverstein stated, “I wanted to create something that was unifying for the entire area and just be a showplace.” Painted by muralist Jon Murrill, two long murals extend on either side of the three-part Dixie Products building. Drawing inspiration from the local community, one mural depicts two children sitting around a welcoming campfire. Murrill stated, “Fires have always been community [gathering] spaces for sharing ideas. The sparks and embers in the painting represent the children and the thoughts and dreams they are sharing with each other.” The other mural depicts a large yellow lab that happily greets customers at the entrance. The Blue Ridge Mountains and the Mill Mountain Star can be seen within the background of both murals, as well as some of Dixie Products’ merchandise. The mural has brought attention to the surrounding area as Murrill expressed, “I had so many individuals stop by and express their excitement over bringing public art to their neighborhood,” he says. “Bringing public art to an area which has none is such an inspirational part of being a local artist.”

About the artist:
Jon Murrill is a muralist and portrait artist in Roanoke, VA. Since obtaining his Master of Fine Arts degree from Radford University, he has exhibited his work in several locations across the U.S. He has also taught a variety of art courses at a collegiate and secondary level and has deep involvement in community engagement projects. Murrill’s murals can be seen throughout Roanoke and Southwest, Virginia. Through his work, he conveys his passion for capturing the human spirit within every individual. See more of the artist's works at murrillart.com

Sourced from:
dixieproducts.com