The story below is a preview from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
From sculptures to murals, Roanoke is covered with vibrant public art that captures stories in its history.
Shawn Nowlin
James Tarpley Mural (Toobz Muir)
The number of people who take in Roanoke’s public art scene every week is often in the tens of thousands. Every mural, sculpture, painting and decorative design throughout the Star City has a story behind it that is worth telling.
Hundreds of artists like the uber-talented Betty Branch have contributed mightily to the city’s art scene over the years. Works can be found in parks, on buildings, bridges, apartments, museums and much more.
Those who knew James Tarpley best say he was one of the most caring and selfless individuals that one could encounter. Considered the ‘Angel of Grandin Village,’ the area has done multiple things to honor him since his passing in 2019 at age 86.
On the side of Rockfish Food and Wine is a mural of Tarpley that Scott Noel, known professionally as “Toobz Muir,” created. A sculpture of Tarpley, thanks to Branch, sits on a bench outside of the Roanoke Co-op. It’s not a coincidence that the sculpture and mural appear to be looking at each other.
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Shawn Nowlin
Gramercy Row Apartments (Nils Westergard)
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Shawn Nowlin
Golden Cactus Brewing
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Shawn Nowlin
James Tarpley Sculpture (Betty Branch)
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Shawn Nowlin
9th Street Bridge Mural (Jon Murrill)
Passersby regularly take pictures of the sculpture and explain to others what their Roanoke Angel meant to them. “I knew Mr. Tarpley extremely well. He had a way of making people feel comfortable in his presence, regardless of their ethnicity. I take great solace in knowing that before his death, he knew how much he was loved,” Charlotte Smith says.
Toobz Muir painted another mural at 319 McClanahan Street, the ETS Recruit Building.
Artist Jon Murrill, a 2009 Roanoke College graduate, painted a mural under the 9th Street Bridge a few months ago. So impressed were city officials that they later tapped him to help take the City’s mural program to the next level as a 2023-24 artist in residence.
Murrill’s work has also been displayed in the Valley View Mall, Oak Grove Plaza and the French Farmhouse.
Art can be extremely therapeutic, something Murrill has told students at his alma mater.
Want to learn more about public artwork in the region that showcases Roanoke's rich history? Check out the latest issue, now on newsstands, or see it for free in our digital guide linked below!
The story above is a preview from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!