TOSS Murals Bring Color and Community to Downtown Morganton

Downtown Morganton is a beehive of activity this week, as the long-anticipated TOSS murals are beginning to take shape on the walls of three local buildings. TOSS, an art studio founded by local artists and arts educators and a program of The Industrial Commons, will unveil the new murals this weekend.

Teams of artists, which have been working through phases of the projects since last spring, are putting the final touches on the paintings. They will be officially presented to the public on Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8.

The three murals, which explore the concepts of identity, opportunity, and belonging in Burke County, will be unveiled with ribbon cuttings. The works of art are entitled: Women at Work: Mountain Matriarchs; Rural Futures: Pathways to Thriving; and Celebrating the Deaf Community.

The "Rural Futures: Pathways to Thriving,” ribbon cutting will be held at WPCC on Friday, March 7, from 5-5:45 p.m. WPCC is located at 1001 Burkemont Ave., Morganton. The mural will be on Building E.

The ribbon cutting for Celebrating the Deaf Community will take place at Debbie’s Embroidery & Screen Printing, 408 S. Sterling St., Morganton, on Saturday, March 8, from 10-10:45 a.m.

The debut of Mountain Matriarchs, will take place at Root & Vine restaurant, 216 E Union St., Morganton on Saturday, March 8, from 11-11:45 a.m.

The public is encouraged to attend each event.

According to TOSS Director Kathryn Ervin, the murals serve a vital mission.

"Public art tells us who we are, where we have been, and where we are going,” Ervin stated. “It embodies our values and gives us a space to exercise hopeful imagination for the future.

In rural communities, we need community-driven design to both enliven our collective stories, support the creative economy, and inspire conversation about what's important."

For project overviews and updates, visit www.tosstudio.org/murals.