by Shawn Nowlin
Throughout the City of Roanoke are an innumerable number of individuals who take an altruistic approach to making the community better for everyone. Two such people are Amazetta Anderson and Brie Aarons.
When people walk past the Cardinal Bicycle at 1312 Winborne Street, their eyes will notice a beautiful mural of the housing specialist at Southwest Rural Community Assistance Project and Allstate Risk Management Specialist, respectively, on the back of the building.
The murals were painted by acclaimed artist Jon Murrill who added another one of Jenny Ripp as part of his “Mother’s of the Forest” project.
When asked why he wanted to paint Anderson and Aarons, Murrill replied, “It’s so important that I paint real people. Knowing their personalities, passions and stories helps guide me. Amazetta runs our community garden, and educates so many of our youth. Picking cherry tomatoes with her while hearing her life stories and lessons was such a great experience and a huge inspiration. The same for Brie.”
In addition to beautifying the area they reside in, murals express cultural identity and create a sense of community.
The first time that Jaylen Hill saw the murals, she instantly felt pride. “I find certain art to be awe-inspiring. John did a great job with all three women,” Hill said. “To me, murals serve as an important medium to put people’s life story into proper perspective for others.”
Wrote Shirley Thomas on Facebook, “The detail in this artwork is incredible. I love that this is in a place where people can see it. Absolutely beautiful work.”
When Kamille Walker met Anderson a few years ago, she said she couldn’t have been more pleasant. “I believe that authenticity is something that you can’t purchase. Either you have it or you don’t. Long before Jon’s mural, her reputation was cemented. If more people like Amazetta existed, the world would be such a better place.”
“My story isn’t just mine alone. I have seen first-hand what is possible when people come together for a common goal. Rooted in everything that I do is a fundamental belief that it is in all of our hands to create the world we want to live in,” Anderson previously told the Roanoke Tribune.
She added, “While I’m beyond honored for the recognition, having a mural in my honor isn’t something that I dreamed of when I was growing up. Every single experience that we have shapes who we are.”
Roanoke residents are encouraged to visit all of the murals at least once.
