The Thomasville, NC Mural Walk is a public art initiative in Thomasville, North Carolina, featuring a series of murals created to beautify the town and celebrate its history, culture, and community spirit. These murals, often painted on the sides of buildings in prominent locations throughout the town, are typically designed and executed by local artists or artist collectives. Click down below to check out the mural walk pamphlet or pick up one at the visitors center!
View Fox 8’s Video on the Thomasville Mural Project Featuring local artist, Jeff Beck.
As you visit these murals today, we may find ourselves very curious of the stories once told as the bricks turned to what they are today. Information can be found here , where many speak to the history of these murals.
Thomasville is thankful for the passion the Thomasville PACE Committee, Beautification Committee, City of Thomasville, mural artist Dana Holliday, and others have put fourth with the restoration and preservation of these murals. These community members continue to work towards the common goal in keeping our downtown a unique place to visit.
“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at the picture for a second and think of it all your life.””
- Joan Miro
Since 1993, PACE of Thomasville has commissioned several mural art pieces around the Historic Downtown Thomasville district. Thomasville has long been an industrial city steeped in textiles, furniture and in agriculture, tobacco. Before the 1960s, the historic district was a bustling, beautiful area with beautiful architectural façades and economic life. With the fall of these industries, the city's center also suffered.
Beautifying the city for not only residents, but as a tool for tourism and cultural heritage, PACE, the Beautification Committee and other city agencies have worked to rebuild and re-energize our city with limited financial resources, and with persistent volunteerism. -PACE
See what’s next and learn all about Dana Holliday’s vision, learn how the community has a voice with the proposed mural called, “Make Change, Get Involved.” The chance for involvement and community participation is welcomed by the Beautification Committee, Dana Holliday and Justeena.
“MAKE CHANGE, GET INVOLVED” HAS BEEN ADOPTED FOR THE TITLE OF A NEW MURAL THAT WILL WRAP AROUND TO WINSTON STREET
Once again, much attention has been set fourth to the uniqueness and continued efforts of the Beautification Committee. Welcome to the beginning stages, as they join hands on this new project that they have set their sites on. Welcoming the help of many, Dana Holliday and a dedicated high school student named Justeena, all together they will embark on another journey.
This journey will include the new addition of the “Make Change, Get Involved” mural. This mural will find its new home on the south side of this Trade Street building and will wrap around to the backside of the building. It will be a blue background while embracing vibrant colors. Easily viewed from the windows of the Visitors Center, embracing Justeena and Dana Holliday’s talents. Those on Winston Street will grab their chance to see the backside of this mural another collaboration that will face the police department. How exciting for a local Thomasville student to be placing her brushes upon this building alongside such a well versed artist as Dana Holliday. All this made possible through the one thousand dollar grant offered by Arts Davidson County. As well as the financial support of the Beautification Committee and the assistance of the City of Thomasville. The arrangement of this team will assure a beautiful mural to add to the collection that stands today.
DANA HOLLIDAY, MURAL ARTIST
DANA HOLLIDAY IS A NORTH CAROLINA MURAL ARTIST. SHE SPECIALIZES IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL MURALS.
Thomasville acquired a real gem when Dana Holliday placed her brushes and creative art upon the bricks that form some of Thomasville’s historic buildings. Dana also refreshed some of the original murals breathing new life into them. Today, Dana works closely with Arts Davidson County and the Thomasville Beautification Committee, loving her community while enjoying all the revival that has taken place.
Salem Street is home to an original mural created by Dana and pays tribute to the heritage of Thomasville’s original Big Chair dated back to 1922-1936. The Big Chair welcomed its community and visitors many years ago. Since then has been replaced, due to its inability to withstand weather conditions by the current chair that stands in its place, not constructed of wood.
The Beautification Committee in motion.
While the end products—the works of public art—are always beautiful, their deeper value lies in the conversations we create, the connections we build, and the legacy of relationships we foster along the way, often with transformative results.
We can all agree these works of art bring out the voices of the community, abilities and create unity. As these bricks form the buildings around us, these murals form the creative nature within us. Yesterday there were stories to be told. Today there are memories to be created. Thomasville welcomes you, to a city filled with painted bricks, rusty rails and alleyways. Walk among the old and new, paint your creative canvas while capturing these hidden gems enveloping your next backdrop.
For more information on the murals of downtown Thomasville please visit the Visitors Center
A great big thank you goes out to those with their continued dedication to the city of Thomasville
- Doreen Levers