This article discusses the creation of a new mural in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The mural will be painted on the facade of the Alma Bea restaurant, located at 202 East Washington Street. It is one of the first things motorists see when they drive into the city.This article discusses the creation of a new mural in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The mural will be painted on the facade of the Alma Bea restaurant, located at 202 East Washington Street. It is one of the first things motorists see when they drive into the city. The mural will be painted by Shepherd University Art Professor Sonya Evanisko and her students. Evanisko has completed a number of murals in the past few years, including the underpass mural completed in 2017, several murals at the university’s Tabler Farm completed a year ago, and a mural over the Potomac River at the ROCS grocery store on Martinsburg Pike. In downtown Shepherdstown, Evanisko and her students have completed the large-scale mural, ‘Celebrate Shepherdstown,’ which is still in the final stages of completion. The Celebrate Shepherdstown mural project is located on the side of the building that houses Betty’s Restaurant at 112 East German Street. Evanisko is a proponent of public art and believes it has many benefits, including adding uniqueness and character to a city and attracting visitors. The design for the new mural was developed over the past eight months through a collaboration between Evanisko, Shepherd University painting program alumna Charlotte Puttock, and Shepherd University graphic design program alumna Heather Crosby. Research was conducted to ensure the design accurately reflected the history of the location. The mural design will feature a beehive and bees, along with native plants and wildlife. The building’s sliding door, when closed at night, will reveal a hidden portion of the mural, featuring local, nocturnal wildlife. Additional inspiration for the design was drawn from the nearby Shepherdstown welcome sign for O’Hurley’s General Store. The Corporation of Shepherdstown agreed to fund the purchase of large planters for the project, provided the building owner signed a contract confirming its previous verbal agreement with Evanisko to keep the mural on the building for ten years. The planters, along with a driveway garden, will be filled with native plants and cared for by volunteers from Shepherdstown Bee City USA. Alma Bea’s chicken, currently on the front of the building, will be repainted on the side of the building, parallel to Washington Street.
Shepherd University professor Sonya Evanisko, front left, adds details to a mural on the side of Betty’s Restaurant in downtown Shepherdstown, begun by Evanisko’s mural painting class in the spring 2024 semester. David Pennock
SHEPHERDSTOWN — Construction on a new mural is set to begin in Shepherdstown this month. The mural’s foundation is being prepared by a contractor, with funding from the Corporation of Shepherdstown.
The mural will be painted on the facade of the Alma Bea restaurant, located at 202 East Washington Street. It is one of the first things motorists see when they drive into the city.
This fall, Shepherd University Art Professor Sonya Evanisko will teach a course on mural painting. Under her guidance, the artist will ensure the mural is completed by the end of October.
“We have completed a number of murals over the past few years,” Evanisko said this about herself and her students. “The underpass mural was completed in 2017. A year ago, we did several murals at the university’s Tabler Farm. We recently completed a mural over the Potomac River at the ROCS grocery store on Martinsburg Pike, and in downtown Shepherdstown, we have our first large-scale mural, ‘Celebrate Shepherdstown,’ which is still in the final stages of completion.”
The Celebrate Shepherdstown mural project is located on the side of the building that houses Betty’s Restaurant at 112 East German Street.
A mural was painted by Sonya Evanisko’s mural class last school year on the wall of ROCS Local Market in Shepherdstown. Tabitha Johnston
“I am a proponent of public art. I think it has many benefits,” said Evanisko. “It adds uniqueness and character to our city. And it’s great for the community because it attracts visitors.”
Several local residents helped complete the Celebrate Shepherdstown mural this summer, including city council member and professional artist Shannon Thomas. She spoke at the July monthly council meeting about how an artsy city like Shepherdstown should have public art everywhere.
“What a wonderful welcome (this mural would be) to a city that embraces art!” said Thomas. “When I told my daughter what an artsy city this is, she confronted me! She said, ‘Where’s the visual arts?’ And that’s true. We have the theater festival and the film festivals and the music — we have a lot of art — but there’s not a lot of public art. It adds a lot of value to the city.”
The mural design, which has been approved by the city council and the building owner, was developed over the past eight months through a collaboration between Evanisko, Shepherd University painting program alumna Charlotte Puttock and Shepherd University graphic design program alumna Heather Crosby. Research was conducted to ensure the design accurately reflected the history of the location.
“We want to clean up the ugly gravel lot that’s full of propane tanks and trash cans. It’s not very green. But by the time the design is finished, that will all change!” said Evanisko. “In my research I came across a quote by Danske Dandridge, a historical poet, historian and gardener (from Shepherdstown). When she was talking about the activities in Shepherdstown right after the Revolutionary War, she wrote, ‘The town is like a hive of busy bees.’ And when I read that quote I couldn’t help but think that it was not only true then, but true today! We have people who volunteer, doers, creative people, innovators, business people — we make things happen.”
A mural was painted on a few buildings at Tabler Farm by Shepherd University professor Sonya Evanisko’s mural class last school year. Tabitha Johnston
And so the mural design will feature a beehive and bees, along with native plants and wildlife. The building’s sliding door, when closed at night, will reveal a hidden portion of the mural, featuring local, nocturnal wildlife. Additional inspiration for the design was drawn from the nearby Shepherdstown welcome sign for O’Hurley’s General Store.
The Corporation of Shepherdstown agreed to fund the purchase of large planters for the project, provided the building owner signed a contract confirming its previous verbal agreement with Evanisko to keep the mural on the building for ten years. The planters, along with a driveway garden, will be filled with native plants and cared for by volunteers from Shepherdstown Bee City USA.
Alma Bea’s chicken, currently on the front of the building, will be repainted on the side of the building, parallel to Washington Street.
A mural was painted on a few buildings at Tabler Farm by Shepherd University professor Sonya Evanisko’s mural class last school year. Tabitha Johnston
Shepherd University professor Sonya Evanisko, front left, adds details to a mural on the side of Betty’s Restaurant in downtown Shepherdstown, begun by Evanisko’s mural painting class in the spring 2024 semester. David Pennock
A mural was painted by Sonya Evanisko’s mural class last school year on the wall of ROCS Local Market in Shepherdstown. Tabitha Johnston
