SUN
AND
SUDS
Bring on the
sun and suds!
Location: Salisbury, MD
Art Design: Peter Mueller aka Pedro Mule
Muralists: Brandon Bell + Deserea Martin
Creative Direction
Wall Preparation
Heavy Equipment Operation
Mural Installation
This humbling opportunity to create the City of Salisbury’s largest mural was presented to us by SVN Miller, a local and global commercial real state company who owns Evolution Craft Brewery in Salisbury, MD.
“EVO” was once an old ice factory which SVN converted into a brewery/eatery. The city removed large trees blocking it’s view from Route 13, a major highway facing the west and largest side of the building. This action inspired the company’s and city’s desire to install artwork on what was now considered an eyesore to passerby’s and the community.
The project had been previously presented to other artists in the area, but was turned down due to budget constraints and the extremely large physical size and requirements of a project of this scope. However, we knew that with the right planning and resources, our team could make it happen.
After securing a larger budget (through meetings with the city and other sponsors) and considering the sheer scope of work involved with this project and the new addition to our household (a little boy!), we sought support by hiring an illustrator to help us create the design.
Once the design was approved and equipment rentals and supplies were in place, we got to work prepping the site at the end of May. Unfortunately, our planned schedule was quickly derailed when we discovered the site required special permitting due to being directly adjacent to an active federal railway.
This required us to cease work for several weeks until the City of Salisbury stepped in and helped all parties secure the proper permits. We were then given a strict deadline and were required to switch from a bucket to a scissor lift, which made traversing the site much more difficult than originally planned.
This project’s difficulties were immeasurable. We got back to work on the site in June, but unfortunately in July, Brandon’s mother was diagnosed with a rapid spreading form of cancer and passed away a month later in August.
Needless to say, not only was this the largest mural of our career, but this project took place during what quickly became the most difficult time of our lives.
In addition to the personal difficulties we faced, the entire canvas surface of the wall was ribbed, which made line work extremely difficult and taxing. There were multiple areas to work around and paint, such as bay doors, downspouts, and protruding wood. The ground was mostly unleveled dirt and soft at times, which caused the lift we were using to become stuck until we could manually free it.
The roof had poor drainage, which caused water to seep onto the canvas wall from dew buildup or rain the night before. In addition, there were safety hazards all around, such as rusty metal from the building’s exterior, as well as broken glass from passerby's who neglected the area.
With the additional help of Brandon’s amazing brother, we were able to finish the project in late August with a city lead ribbon cutting in September. The mayor of Salisbury at the time, Jake Day, gave an incredible speech and then handed the microphone to Brandon, who dedicated his speech and the project to his late mother by promising that from that day forward, nothing would, or could ever stop him.