ST.PETERSBURG, Fla. — For the next week, artists in St. Petersburg will transform walls and blank spaces into beautiful murals. The SHINE Mural Festival officially kicked off on Friday, Oct. 13, and it goes until Oct. 22.
Local artist Rhys Meatyard started painting their mural off First Avenue South in St. Petersburg when the ABC Action News crew was there.
“I really wanted to do something bright and happy and colorful. I feel like there is so little of that in our public day-to-day lives,” said Meatyard.
“The SHINE Mural Festival is a celebration of art for the sake of art. We create murals all throughout the arts districts of St. Pete, and this is our 9th annual year,” said Jenee Priebe, Director of SHINE Mural Festival.
Priebe said local, national, and international artists like Meatyard will spend the next week transforming blank spaces, and the public can watch all of the magic happen. She said the best way to tackle the festival is to downloadthis map so you can figure out where all the artists will be painting. There are also various activities happening throughout the week.
“Especially with SHINE, it's an opportunity to add something beautiful that can affect moods and feel more hopeful about the world. I know that’s a tall order for art, but what else is the purpose, you know?” said Meatyard, who then showed us what the mural will look like when it’s finished.
“It’s hopeful in that it’s going off into the light. The statue that’s closest to the light is coming alive and coming off of its pedestal,” said Meatyard. “Never in my life did I think I would get to paint one of these myself, so I am super honored.”
Artists have created 150 murals in the last eight years. Priebe said 18 new murals will go up this year.
For more information about the SHINE Mural Festival, click here.
