The Congaree Vista Guild www.vistacolumbia.com/guild — a non-profit, membership-based organization comprised of a variety of restaurateurs, shops, businesses, gallery owners and homeowners in the Vista — is excited to announce a new mural in the heart of the city’s beloved Cultural District.
Made possible via a partnership with One Columbia for Arts & History — a non-profit organization advising, amplifying and advocating for the city’s unified arts and history community — and designed and illustrated by local talent Cait Maloney, the mural will be named “Lady Vista” and debut in the spring of 2019. The new mural will be located on Gervais Street, between Park and Lincoln Streets.
Maloney’s inspiration for the project? The vibrant district itself.
“I wanted to capture the funky, fresh and colorful essence of the area into one image, so I took everything that I knew the Vista to be and boiled each aspect down into its own abstract representation,” she said. “All of these elements together are what bring ‘Lady Vista’ to life.”
The Vista is home to artists in residency, art galleries, public art displays and much more. The district was named an official South Carolina Cultural District — a walkable area serving as a center of cultural, artistic and economic activity — by the South Carolina Arts Commission in 2015 and remains the only district to hold this designation within the City of Columbia today.
“The Vista is meant to be a place of unity, inspiration and excitement,” says Merritt McNeely, president of The Vista Guild. “The addition of public art such as ‘Lady Vista’ ensures that we continue in our mission to cultivate and showcase the work of talented local artists, while bringing people together. We are ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with Cait Maloney, an incredible artistic mind, on this one-of-a-kind project and to share her work with residents and daily visitors alike.”
With such a prominent locale (in close proximity to favorite dining destinations Motor Supply and Sure Fire Tacos and retail staple Urban Outfitters), members of The Vista Guild and One Columbia envision many special moments with Lady Vista to come.
“We are happy to partner with The Vista Guild in bringing this mural to fruition,” said One Columbia Executive Director Lee Snelgrove. “The mural is a true reflection of the vibrant culture within the Vista itself. We hope it will bring a smile to and leave a memory with all passersby to come.”
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