In celebration of Regency Square’s fortieth anniversary, the Richmond shopping center has unveiled its first indoor mural on the lower level in front of JCPenney.
The mural features the work of local artists Matt Lively and Hamilton Glass, 216 Douglas Freeman High School art students, and three art teachers. The two artists began working in collaboration with the ninth through twelfth grade students on September 30, the same day Regency Square presented their donation of paint, brushes, canvas and other art materials needed to complete the mural. “We are excited and honored to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. By creating this mural, students will understand that everyone’s participation is vital in creating unity within a community,” said Taylor Neal, Freeman High School art department chair.
The original photo used to make the collaborative image depicts Richmond’s cityscape and its surrounding neighborhoods. The process began by separating sections of the photo and distributing a swatch to each of the Freeman art students. Each student focused solely on their section of the original image and reproduced it using paint on canvas paper. The students duplicated what they saw in the particular section they were given while adding their own special touches. Each piece was seamed together and placed on panels to create the final image. Regency Square will display the mural permanently as a tribute to the local community.
