WILLIAMSBURG — The City of Williamsburg will welcome its second commissioned mural to Midtown Row later this month.
At its meeting Mar. 9, City Council authorized the Williamsburg Public Art Council (WPAC) to contract with mural artist Britt Flood for the design and installation of the second mural.
The mural will be installed on the exterior of the Food Lion, located at 1242 Richmond Road, next to the mural “Papilio Glaucus,” which artist Silas Baker completed in October and officially unveiled on Nov. 17.
The WPAC selected Flood and her design — a brightly colored, abstract illustration of greenways — as Midtown Row’s second mural at the January WPAC meeting. The mural is currently untitled.
Flood is a North Carolina-based visual artist with experience in both interior and exterior murals. She has a goal to complete a mural in all 50 states. The Williamsburg piece will be her first in Virginia.
According to the City of Williamsburg, Flood’s mural was chosen out of 13 submitted during a Request for Quotes process last fall, which asked for submissions that follow the theme of “Community Connections.”
The contract was finalized in April and work on the piece will begin in mid-May. The mural is slated to be completed by Memorial Day.
“We are thrilled to be working with artist Britt Flood and excited to have her create the newest Williamsburg mural in Midtown Row,” said Robert Currie, chair of the Williamsburg Public Art Council. “Her work is bold, vibrant, and ethereal. Her mural will complement the butterfly painting by Silas Baker, creating a more interesting and dynamic public space that is fun to visit.”
The WPAC was established in 2021 and is composed of nine members, including representatives from City boards and commissions and two community positions.
As stated in the WPAC ordinance, exterior murals are only allowed for installation in the B-3 zoning district, also known as Midtown.
Through its public art program, the WPAC aims to celebrate the city’s past, present, and future with public art; enhance the city’s identity and economic vitality by encouraging people to spend more time in the city engaged with public art; and highlight and enhance the beauty and unique character of the city. WPAC’s meetings are open to the public and occur on the fourth Monday of every month.
