Charlottesville Mural Project announces new murals by artists Sahara Clemons, Ryan Trott

Two new original works by local artists Sahara Clemons and Ryan Trott are the newest public murals in the Charlottesville Mural Project.

The murals will be located on two separate concrete retaining walls near 120 10th Street NW and will be visible from 10th Street NW with the funding support from SEF Family Fund and Tenth Street Warehouses and the permission and cooperation of The Standard Charlottesville.

“My mother was my inspiration for the mural,” said Clemons, a Charlottesville native and current student at Rhode Island School of Design. “She represents strength and perseverance to me. I wanted to do something that honored her and other black women. Black women are constantly struggling to be recognized and break barriers. I strive to represent those who are invisible and elevate their presence. She is lying down while holding the lightning bolt to suggest the juxtaposition between power and ease. I used to live in this area, a historically Black neighborhood, and I see that it is undergoing transition. I want to ensure that Black people are being represented in this evolving community.”

Trott looked to the neighboring community’s youth for inspiration. An elementary school art teacher by day, Trott connected with leadership at City of Promise for consultation on collecting input from children in the neighborhood and throughout parts of Charlottesville to design a collage of playful illustrations that would be familiar and fun.

“My recent work focuses on figures interacting with objects in a lighthearted and often surreal way,” Trott said. “For this project, I worked with students to develop new ideas for objects from their daily lives. Their drawings, notes and suggestions inform the design of the mural and create a connection to the community. Alongside my usual plants & coffee mugs are a basketball, iPhone, and pizza slice, creating a fun and interacting environment to explore.”

“Both Trott and Clemons are artists that the Charlottesville community holds in very high esteem,” said Alan Goffinski, director of The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative. “We’re happy to facilitate the creation of these two new exciting additions to our city’s visual landscape.”