NORFOLK, Va. — The wall on the side of the WTKR News 3 studios has been blank for decades. Now, one artist has brought new light to a blank canvas.
The drive down Boush Street in Norfolk is looking a little more colorful these days.
"I think it really does change the nature of the space here in a really good way and I think the message of it is really positive," says John Rudel. He's the Professor of Art at Virginia Wesleyan University. He's also the artist behind this larger-than-life mural that now adorns the side of the WTKR News 3 studios.
"There's a large cloud in the middle at the top, that's a little over 30 feet wide," says Rudel.
The clouds and the lighthouse, which was inspired by the Scripps logo "give light and the people will find their own way," was a collaborative effort between WTKR and Rudel.
Rudel says, there's real artistry behind a collaborate effort like that.
You're probably asking yourself, what goes into a mural this big?
"The clouds are actually made out of spray paint. I must have gone through maybe 200 cans of spray paint, and then six or seven gallons of paint for the color stripes," says Rudel.
He also had to get over his fear of heights.
"By the end of the time, I was totally desensitized to the height. Early on, it was a little bit terrifying. The lift kind of wobbles in the wind," says Rudel.
Rudel started on the mural in mid-December and had to battle with temperatures in the teens! He says the paint was actually slushy!
He worked anywhere from 11-16 hours a day and he says, it took him about 2 weeks to complete.
"Anytime I make a work of art, I'm just never sure if anyone will ever notice it or see it, so getting a lot of positive feedback this time is really great," says Rudel.
Other artwork by Rudel include, the mural on the side of the Virginia Furniture Company in Norfolk and the sandblasted glass designs at the light rail station at Harbor Park.
If you'd like your mural featured, contact news@wtkr.com or find Meteorologist April Loveland on social media.
