CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Big Ugly Brewing in Chesapeake has a new mural that not only adds a burst of color, but also a little bit of history.
The muralist behind the new 25-foot vibrant, postcard-like mural that says, "Welcome to Chesapeake," is Corinna Sayward. She says the mural's design and her artistic choices are different from other murals.
"It kind of branches out of the original historic mural vibe that you get and gives it kind of a vibrant, colorful, modern look," said Sayward.
The mural incorporates many of the features Chesapeake is known for, including jets, the Battle of Great Bridge, City Hall, the Coast Guard, the Arboretum and black bears. Sayward included the characteristics associated with the city in a fun, creative fashion.
"This mural definitely is the vibrant, colorful energy that I like to go for, mixed with the client's requests as well," said Sayward.
Sayward says it took about four weeks to complete the mural. She added that it was a bit of a challenge painting on corrugated metal and working in the chilly weather.
"It was about 37 degrees [on] average the whole time I worked on it, so it was pretty chilly. I had the hot hands in my gloves," said Sayward.
After seeing the beautiful finished product, it's clear her hard work paid off. She says the mural reflects her fun, natural-flowing, vibrant style, and she hopes it brings joy to those who see it.
"I like when people see my murals [and] get a smile on their face," she said.
She also shared some words of encouragement for budding artists.
"If you have the passion for it, just go for it, because it is a lot of hard work. It absolutely is. It's a lot more labor-intensive than I thought it would be, but it's worth it. The payoff is incredible. As far as the arts community in Hampton Roads is concerned, if they want to go for it, they've got full support," said Sayward.
