Rehoboth city officials and The Rehoboth Art League (RAL) opened the search for an artist to create a mural on the city’s Convention Center back in June. Now, the artist selected has finished that coastal themed work.
Western New York artist Brett Steeves was commissioned to fill the
approximately 15-by-18 foot wall outside the Convention Center - near the entrance.
But Steeves is no outsider when it comes to Rehoboth, "I have a connection to Rehoboth. We used to live and I grew up in Wilmington. We used to spend a lot of time in Rehoboth. And now, I have family down there, so it’s one of my favorite places to be.”
But Steeves says deciding what to paint took some thought, “Because a mural in a public space - anywhere - needs to say things about what people feel about their home.”
Ultimately, Steeves included local landmarks, nautical creatures and coastal scenery, “We started with a sandcastle in the upper left - quite an elaborate one. And then we moved to the right side and featured dolphins jumping ‘cause that’s really quite a draw; people love the experience of dolphins.”
The new mural is visible from the Baltimore Avenue approach to the building, “We’ve got a little girl who is having fun going back and forth to the water to get some wet sand - building her version of a sandcastle. And we’ve got a white heron; I know blue herons are as common or maybe more-so than white herons, but I chose white because it stands out better against the mural,” said Steeves.
City officials say a ceremonial ribbon cutting for the mural will be held in the near future.
