They say you can't have StuART without Art -- and today, that's more than just a play on words. What better way to begin the 250th anniversary celebration than by planting a piece of public art right here in the heart of our community. We thank artist Jon Murrill for bringing this beautiful display of art to us.
This extraordinary mural by Jon Murrill brings a meaningful moment as Patrick County as we begin the 250th anniversary celebration of our country. What better way to honor that milestone than by planting a piece of public art right here in the heart of our community -- something bold, something beautiful, something that belongs to all of us.
Because here's the thing about Stuart: Art doesn't just decorate this town, art helped to build this town.
The history of this place was shaped by the hands of artisans -- the quilter at her frame to the industrial frames of the textile industry, the woodworker in his shop, and the baker pulling bread from the oven. It was built by the careful art of preserving food for a long winter, y the craft of making music that carried people through the hard times -- and yes, y the time-honored and highly skilled art of crafting moonshine. And, of course, by the greasy hands from crafting race car motors. Stuart's identity has always been woven from these threads, and every one of them is an art form.
The mural honors that spirit. It honors the landscape that has inspired artists and artisans and ordinary people for generations -- these mountains, these rivers, bathed in a particular light. And it does something equally important: it preserves that inheritance for the children and grandchildren who will walk past this wall for decades to come.
Take a look at what Jon Murrill has placed on this wall. There is a childlike wonder in this work -- the kind of wonder that makes one stop and crouch down to look at the rocks in a riverbed, or watch a crawdad move through the shallows. That curiosity, the delight in small things, is something we are all born with. This mural is a reminder: stay curious. Explore. Pay attention to the world around you -- to the critters and the currents, the colors and the quiet.
And my hope -- and the hope of organizations like Bull Mountain Arts -- is that this momentum continues to grow. Jon has now given Stuart two murals, and with each one, the door to public art opens a little wider. We keep proving that it's possible, that our community will show up for it, that we will keep saying yes to beauty in unexpected places. In partnership for this project, the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce, the Bull Mountain Arts, the Town of Stuart, and our generous donor who made funding possible, and Pickle and Ash who made sure there was food available at the Grand Unveiling, thank you for making the project and unveiling possible and to artist Jon Murrill, "thank you for bringing your talent to our walls and your curiosity to our community." -- Rebecca Adcock.
We invite everyone to come out and celebrate this beautiful work of art -- Mayo River Rail Trail, Commerce Street, Stuart, VA 24171.
