Over the past few weeks a mural done in 2018 by the artist Daas for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County in North Carolina has gotten national attention in the US. Local community members nominated the mural for a national competition celebrating best practices in local governance. Out of 85 nominees, the mural has reached the final round against the CedarCreek Water Reclamation Facility in Athens, Georgia. Voting will continue until April 4th!
The 16,000 ft2 mural was painted on the side of a large water tank in a public/private partnership and showcases an indigenous river otter along the Yadkin Riverbank.
Time lapse photography is an important element of Daas’ creative process. A TLC120 wi-fi enabled time lapse camera was used to capture the project from start to finish. Watching the time lapse you get an appreciation for all the work that goes into creating a 16,000ft2 mural and how Daas keeps track of painting his design on such a large canvas.
Daas wanted to use the mural as an opportunity to both educate and delight residents. The Yadkin River is the main water source for the region and the adorable river otter is an important part of this delicate ecosystem. More than 25,000 commuters drive past the mural every day and are reminded of importance of protecting water resources and sustainability.
Hopefully other municipalities can learn from the City of Winston-Salem and are inspired to find creative ways to turn their utility facilities into inspirational art pieces that can be enjoyed by the entire community!
