Canonsburg to install mural featuring local landmarks
Rusty Gold Brewing building will host new artwork
Canonsburg residents can look forward to seeing a virtual highlight reel of their town’s history displayed downtown thanks to a new mural that will be unveiled at the end of May.
The 38-by-30-foot mural will cover the eastern exterior wall of the Rusty Gold Brewing building on West Pike Street, featuring 12 original paintings by local artists Mike Melone and James Sulkowski.
According to Linda Romano, Canonsburg community initiatives coordinator, a small committee of borough residents worked for over a year to come up with 12 “hallmark concepts” to represent the town.
The final selection of images – which includes the Sarris Candies logo, Jefferson College log cabin, U.S. flag and more – was narrowed down from an initial list of over two dozen by Melone and Sulkowski, who each produced six original paintings that were then assembled into the mural alongside the “Visit Washington County” logo and the slogan “Canonsburg. You’ll Love It Here.”
“It’s all about the composition, how the images fit together cohesively,” Melone said.
The mural will also include a designated area for selfie-takers to pose for the optimal photo, and a QR code that will link to an upcoming promotional video for the borough, Romano said.
Romano said the video will highlight local businesses and attractions which, in conjunction with the upcoming mural, will help draw visitors and investment into the town.
According to Printscape CEO and mural committee member John Dziak, the mural will reflect the pride that residents have in their “vibrant community.”
Dziak said events like Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest and Canonsburg’s Old Fashioned Christmas, both of which regularly draw crowds of over 25,000 people each year – represent the fruits of continued investment into the borough and the tight-knit community these investments foster.
“It’s the spirit of the community,” he said.
The mural was funded by a $25,000 grant from the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency and support from local businesses, Romano said.
Printscape will create and install the vinyl mural on the Rusty Gold Building, which will be officially unveiled during a public event in late May.