By Debbie Adams
Vinton is fortunate to be Jon Murrill’s hometown and the location of the first in his “Lady
Appalachia” series of outdoor wall murals. He is currently creating the mountains and his first
Lady Appalachia on the exterior walls of the Town of Vinton Annex building on Pollard Street.
week of work on the Lady Appalachia outdoor mural in downtown Vinton, on some occasions
using a bucket truck, rather than a ladder, to reach the tops of the wall at the Town of Vinton
Annex on Pollard Street. Plans are to complete the project in early April. (photos by Debbie Adams)
“I am so thrilled to be painting my first mural of the year in my hometown of Vinton!” said
Murrill. “This mural is meaningful to me not only as a local, but also as a creative. From a very
early stage we knew we wanted something special here on Pollard Street. The mural represents a
Blue Ridge Mountain vista from the perspective of Vinton’s vantage point.
“We see Mill Mountain and the valley below glowing in the sun and leading us visually to the
showpiece of the mural – ‘Lady Appalachia.’
“This subject depicts not only a striking portrait, but more importantly, a representation of our
close ties as individuals to the land and textures of Appalachia. Being inspired by the Statue of
Liberty, I designed our Lady Appalachia to be an embodiment of the region and our relationship
to the land.
“With moss growing on her hands, scattered freckles resembling deer spots, and a bird’s nest
crowning her forehead, we see a unique female representation that we haven’t seen before here
in public art. This series is something I plan to continue throughout the region over the next few
years and what better place to start than right here in Vinton.”
Murrill is a graduate of William Byrd High School in the Class of 2005. He earned his B.A. in
Art from Roanoke College and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Radford University with a
concentration in both painting and drawing. He then taught art at Craig County and Patrick
Henry High Schools.
He has exhibited in juried exhibitions, solo exhibits, and group shows across the United States.
Murrill has also taught a variety of courses at a collegiate level. His roots in education have led
him to explore community engagement projects in his public work. Last spring, he partnered
with art teachers and students from William Byrd for the beautiful mural at the Vinton
Veterinary Specialty Services Center on Washington Avenue.
You can find his murals all across the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia, and now in
downtown Vinton.
