I established Ray Harvey Art in 1986 and in that time I have created over 200 murals, fine art commissions and decorative finishes. These projects have included the installation of paintings in hotels, restaurants, offices, churches and residences. This December I will begin the largest commission of my career in terms of size and scope.
I have entered into an agreement with JP Quick Development which will challenge my artistic talents for at least twelve months. The down economy and foreclosures have been a positive for a few developers and this is the situation here. Picture a defunct Holiday Inn Holi-dome motel. Now take that structure and completely strip it out. Keep the bones but rebuild the entire structure with 750 square foot bungalows surrounding the enclosed atrium. Include a pool, spa and cafe in the controlled-climate naturally lit common space. While you’re at it, why not build a theater, chapel, health club, pharmacy, dime-store and saloon? This is the vision of the development company taking on this project.
I will be the one artist called upon to transform the 16′ tall and 500′ long atrium wall into a neighborhood setting with the use of paint. The mural will depict a 1920 row-house neighborhood complete with brown stone home fronts, city hall, trees and virtual neighbors. This is my largest “one piece” painting in the last twenty-six years. This part of the puzzle is expected to take over four months to complete. At its completion I will then move into the front area of the building and begin several smaller, yet large, murals in the chapel, theater and other venues. All together the work will last twelve months. At that time seniors will have an all-inclusive living facility they can call home. An estimate of occupation is not known at this time.
