Mural of Maya Angelou Graces the Gate City

Phillip Marsh (above), a Greensboro street artist-muralist, conceptualized the mural of Maya Angelou. Arts patron Andy Zimmerman commissioned Miami artist Heiro Veiga to paint the mural which is located in The Gateway building at the corner of South Elm Street and Gate City Boulevard.
Photo by Ivan Saul Cutler/Carolina Peacemaker.

The watchful author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou returned to Greensboro as a dramatic, captivating mural in a Downtown suite of shared workspaces under construction.
Conveying a serious yet loving countenance, the large mural serves “as a sentry for social justice, keeping an inspiring and watchful eye on us to make sure we advocate for social justice always striving to live up to her credo of diversity and inclusion to raise humanity,” said Phillip Marsh, a Greensboro street artist-muralist.

Marsh suggested the “photo realistic” mural concept to real estate developer and arts patron Andy Zimmerman. The mural will be positioned in a high traffic area of the shared workspace in The Gateway building located at the corner of South Elm Street and Gate City Boulevard.

Zimmerman commissioned Miami artist Heiro Veiga to paint the mural, using a precision aerosol technique. Completed in two days, the mural measures 8-feet wide and 12 feet high.

“Heiro is a focused introverted artist, telling me the mural speaks more eloquently than he can,” Marsh said. “One look at Maya’s face and you know she is telling us nonverbally that we all are responsible for advocating social justice.”