An enormous mural in honor of the 150th anniversary of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company is complete. The official unveiling took place Tuesday afternoon in Winston-Salem.
The mural on a corrugated industrial wall stretches across two football field lengths along Reynolds Boulevard, covering more than 55,000 square feet. The project took some 14 months to complete, and the art itself traces the evolution of Reynolds and the city it helped grow.
Along the way, local artists Leo Rucker and Joey Allen went through approximately 400 gallons of paint, 9,000 cans of spray paint and put in about 2,000 hours of work.
Rucker, who was born and raised in Winston-Salem, said the final reveal nearly left him in tears.
"As an artist, you dream for an opportunity, you know, that makes an everlasting statement, and especially here in Winston-Salem, because I've been here all my life," he said. "And now, you know, this wonderful opportunity has crossed our paths, and here we are, creating something that the community can speak to art out loud. If you dream big enough, big dreams will come."
Allen grew up in nearby King. He says they’ve been working on the project from day one straight through to the unveiling.
"It’s really refreshing to have a moment to step back and reflect on how far we've come with the project," said Allen. "You know, it's my hope that the community is proud of the work that we've done here and can feel a sense of pride in the area that they are from. But also, from the beginning of the project to now, I'm realizing that everything that we've put on the wall is the community."
Allen says he hopes their work inspires other artists, young and old. The Reynolds Boulevard mural is open for viewing between Whitaker Park and Shorefair Drive in Winston-Salem.