THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 3, 1995 TAG: 9508030467
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Never mind looking for a story behind the outdoor mural being painted on the Hope House Foundation Thrift Shop at 1800 Monticello Ave.
There really isn't one, at least not to a pair of happy-go-lucky artists who are donating their talents to create this unusual seascape near downtown Norfolk.
Musicians standing in the ocean as whales and dolphins frolic around them? Just a fun idea to visualize, says Clayton Singleton, one of the painters.
``It's just a bit of pleasure. I'm just hoping someone says, `I've never seen that done before,' '' Singleton said.
Singleton, 25, teaches art at Bowling Park and Ingleside elementary schools in Norfolk. He lives in the city's Five Points area and has won best-in-show awards in two Stockley Gardens Arts Festivals, sponsored by the Hope House Foundation.
Brown, 27, is a free-lance painter of customized signs and a cook at the Casual Clam restaurant. A resident of Chick's Beach in Virginia Beach, Brown has a merit award in an art show sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
His likeness is depicted on the drummer in the mural.
The artists agreed to help when the nonprofit Hope House Foundation wanted to dress up the drab brick exterior of its thrift shop.
At first, Hope House sought to have the mural represent a typical scene inside the shop - customers browsing through racks of used clothes. Store proceeds help the foundation provide supportive services to adults with disabilities such as mental retardation.
But City Hall zoning inspectors advised that a mural about the store would be an illegal advertisement.
A seascape, however, had no relation to the store; therefore, no violation.
The minor squabble didn't faze the artists. In fact, the switch to a seascape blended better with their creative inclinations, they said.
``Danny does a lot of seascapes,'' Singleton said. ``I thought, `Cool,' because I do a lot of figures, and I like to incorporate music into my work as well. That would be a perfect combination.''
Although Singleton often makes social statements on his canvases, he said he was trying only to create a peaceful mood on the shop wall.
``It's just nice thoughts . . . kind of spiritual,'' he said. ``Everything in it is positive. The colors are as pure as they possibly could be.''
The closest Singleton and Brown come to making any statement is a green-faced woman and purple-headed man reading on the beach.
``People tend to associate color with race. That way there's no actual race to the people. They're just people,'' Singleton said. ``If you just enjoy looking at it - awesome!'' ILLUSTRATION: Pleasure painting
BILL TIERNAN
Staff photos
Clayton Singleton, left, and Danny Brown are dressing up the Hope
House Thrift Shop on Monticello Avenue. They are painting an outdoor
seascape mural on the brick exterior. The artists hope to have the
mural completed next week.
Danny Brown, left, 27, is a free-lance painter and a cook. Clayton
Singleton, 25, teaches art at elementary schools.
by CNB