Art is Bringing People Together

By Ashlyn Johnson, Public Information Officer with the City of Valdosta

As you drive past the City of Valdosta’s Engineering Storage and Equipment building, you will notice something different, more vibrant, and colorful. It started as a blank canvas perfect for a large-scale public art piece. Now the building is covered with a beautiful mural that can be noticed from the street level or overpass up above. The City of Valdosta Main Street Office contracted with Lee Mobley, an artist from the South Georgia area. It was a full team effort: as City Public Works and Engineering staff prepped the building, Valdosta City Manager Mark Barber brainstormed a colorful and creative idea. Main Street staff and Mobley finalized a design and the artist went to work, taking only two days to complete the project.

“We hope this mural helps to encourage the revitalization and investments into this area of our city. This was an opportunity for us to complete a quick and easy as well as cost-effective placemaking project, in hopes to attract more people, and highlight how beautiful this area of our city can be,” said Ashlyn Johnson, City of Valdosta Public Information Officer.

The City of Valdosta will continue to recognize and utilize the true talent of artists as partners in community development, which is an effective way to build community and encourage economic growth. Valdosta has embraced the arts community and successfully transformed this area to be inclusive, inviting, and innovative. Right now, in the midst of a pandemic and uncertainty in our country, art is bringing people together.