Painted Walls

EXPERIENCES Painted Walls

Colorful murals can be found all over Gwinnett

BY KELUNDRA SMITH

Tumblefi eld

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s one of the most diverse counties in the nation, each of Gwinnett’s cities has its own personality. Nowhere is that more evident than in the murals that color buildings in the downtown areas. These paintings by local artists tell the story of the county’s past, present, and future. Be sure to look for these 11 unique works of art the next time you visit.

Duluth

Every day is decadent at The Chocolaterie, a store carrying local and handmade artisan truffl es in the heart of downtown Duluth. After you indulge in something sweet inside, pose with the stunning Chocolate Lady mural painted on the outside of the building. The chocolates in the palm of her hand are just as beautiful as the ones inside.

Get ready to glow in The Cosmic Tunnel, an interactive mural in Bunten Road Park, which shows the size and spatial relationship between the planets, as well as their orbital paths.

Artist Brenda Ehly has called Duluth home for more than 30 years; her Dream Big mural, located along Hill Street, was inspired by some of the tiniest creatures on the planet—ants. The mural shows them working together to achieve a common goal; it represents the daily tasks that can sometimes feel like an ant pushing a boulder uphill.

Some of music’s most talented singers and songwriters have performed at Red Clay Music Foundry, including the Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, and Jason Isbell. Before your next concert, take a photo in front of the Fanfare mural that covers the windows on the side of the building. Its sentiment is simply that we love music.

Lawrenceville

The menu at Strange Taco, located in the heart of downtown Lawrenceville, includes unique, made-from-scratch taco fl avors, ranging from cheeseburger to fried green tomato. In between bites, head out back to snap a photo in front of the Strange Taco mural. A shoutout to Dr. Strangelove, it features a cowboy riding a blimp.

The Chocolate Lady

Strange Taco

The Sweet Life

Lilburn

The rock band the Grateful Dead may have formed in California, but its Southern roots run deep— the band has been performing in Georgia for decades. Jerry Garcia Guitar, a mural dedicated to late guitarist Jerry Garcia, is a must-see in Lilburn. Located in front of Music on Main Street, which offers lessons, instruments, concerts, and camps, the 50-foot mural is by Sonny Franks and features the neck of a guitar.

Norcross

The dark alley behind businesses in downtown Norcross has been transformed by new lights and bright colors, thanks to investment from the city. Artists Lauren Pallotta and Jon Graham contributed, too, thanks to their Tumblefi eld mural of adorable and playful red foxes. Located in Skin Alley, the mural is as charming as the city itself.

As the railroad and automobile expanded in the early 20th century, so did tourism. American travelers often sent linen postcards to loved ones. The 16-foot-wide Greetings from Norcross mural refl ects those nostalgic postcards, with the letters depicting eight important people and places in the city’s history. Designed by Atomic Wash, a Norcross-based digital marketing and branding agency, the mural covers the large brick wall of the building the agency shares with Paizano’s Italian restaurant, along Wingo Street.

Like a letter from a long-lost friend, the Love, Norcross mural is the perfect stop on a memory-making tour through Gwinnett County. The simple, colorful mural is located near the end of South Peachtree Street.

Sugar Hill

The town of Sugar Hill has stunning sunsets, thanks in large part to its northeast Georgia location. The Sweet Life mural, located on the 21-by-80-foot wall of the Suite Spot, celebrates this interesting and colorful fact. Painted by local artist Jennie Osiek, the mural depicts the golden orange majesty of the sunset and more than lives up to the city’s name.

Suwanee

In the late 19th century, the railroad connecting Atlanta and Charlotte was built through Suwanee, making the city an important thoroughfare. Today, the #Suwanee mural, located near the intersection of LawrencevilleSuwanee Road and Buford Highway, honors that history with its depiction of two trains running, representing the past and present. Alexandra Sorto painted the colorful mural when she was just 17 years old.