Historic Murals of Danville
Mural #1
"The Old 97"
The Historic Murals of Danville was created to help restore greatness to the Downtown and Tobacco Warehouse Historic Districts. These murals will not only bring beauty to the area, but will also tell the stories that make Danville unique. The first mural - one depicting the Old 97 in the height of its glory - has just been completed on the side of the Atrium Furniture building, located at the Gateway to Downtown. This 46' x 74' canvas took 3 weeks to create and welcomes the community and tourists into the heart of downtown.
Wes Hardin, a nationally known mural artist and illustrator, was commissioned to paint Danville's inauguaral mural, The Old 97. Wes has taken our history and turned it into a larger-than-life tribute that will be admired by townspeople and tourists for many, many years.
Watch the masterpiece come to life
(Windows Media Player Recommended)
Wes has worked as a muralist and illustrator for the past 26 years. He was born in Chicago, IL, in 1960. He was educated on the Gulf Coast and attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, FL, where he studied Advertising Design. His first mural commission was at the age of 18 for the Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, FL. Wes worked throughout South Florida as a freelance designer and illustrator both for private and corporate commission along with various ad agencies. In the fall of 1989, Wes became creative director of Durden Outdoor Displays in Dothan, AL, where he designed billboards and acted as head scenic painter until 1999.
Wes continues to live and work in Dothan as a portrait artist and muralist. Click here to view a collection of his murals and others located in Dothan, AL as part of the Wiregrass Festival of Murals.
The Historic Murals of Danville program is managed by the Downtown Danville Association (DDA) and relies on grants and private donations.
We would like to thank all those who made a donation to the project in 2005. To add your name to the list of donors please call Liz Sater, Executive Director of the DDA, at 434.791.4470 or make check payable to Historic Murals of Danville and mail to the DDA, 635 Main Street, Danville, VA 24541.
Mural #2
Transportation Mural
The Historic Transportation Mural (Mural #2) features 1920's transportation in
downtown Danville and is located in the heart of the Downtown Historic District on the west facing wall of 121-125 North Union Street. The completion of the mural was the first step in the overall redevelopment of this area to include a major face lift for the City's bus hub parking lot, which is due to begin fall '06.
Mural artist and illustrator Wes Hardin returned to Danville and completed mural #2 on August 8, 2006. For this mural, the Historic Murals of Danville committee got creative with fundraising. For $500 a person could put their likeness or that of a loved one in the mural. The committee sold 6 portraits and could have potentially sold many more.
Mural #3 will focus on Danville's rich history with the tobacco industry and will begin early spring '07. Stay tuned for more information as to how to purchase a portrait for $500 that will appear in mural #3.
The Historic Mural Committee would like to especially thank Pat Daly of Daly Seven and the staff at the Innkeeper West for being such gracious hosts to our mural artist.
Look for mural #3 (Tobacco themed) to begin Spring '07.
