GREENVILLE – Downtown Greenville was a buzz Friday, September 20, with the installation and festivities of a new mural installed by Main Street Greenville’s Mural Committee. The mural recreates a watercolor donated by Greenville native Don Mong that features a scene at the Greenville City Park.
“Don has been wonderful to work with,” said Eileen Litchfield, Main Street Greenville Mural Committee Chair. “He donated the artwork.”
“It’s amazing the mural going on the wall,” said Mong. “I just can’t believe it.”
Mong stated he has been “drawing all my life” but did get his start as a forensic illustrator police officer and learned his artwork from what he learned as an East Greenwich, Rhode Island police officer.
Mong served six years in the US Army as a Combat Engineer, including being stationed in Germany while in the US Army, and returned to the US where he served as a recruiter stationed at Newport, RI.
“That’s where I got out and stayed,” Mong stated. “I was stationed in Rhode Island; I was a diver.”
Many sightseers took advantage of the opportunity to watch the process unfold as Joe Wintrow of Wintrow Signs and his crew spent the day installing the enormous work of art on the building housing Brightspeed. Fitzwater Lawn Care and Maintenance and the City of Greenville donated their equipment to help bring the project to life.
“What a beautiful mural,” said Greenville Mayor Jeff Whitaker. “You can see it from the traffic circle and the fountain while driving around. It added a wonderful addition to the entire downtown area. This is our fourth mural now in Greenville. The Mural Committee headed by Eilene Litchfield does an extremely excellent job getting the money together for these murals and beautifying Greenville.”
“All the funds from the event have been turned over to the Mural Committee for future murals,” Litchfield concluded. “We’re still working on them – we have plans.”
