500-foot World of Clothing wall a blank slate no more, thanks to local artist
HENDERSONVILLE - Drivers getting on and off the ramp for the Hendersonville exit on Interstate 26 were used to a familiar sight for more than four decades: The World of Clothing building with the store's name painted in big capital letters on the side.
The store closed its doors for good in 2021 after being in business for 44 years. A mini-storage facility owned by Safe Nest is taking its place and didn't want the 500-foot-long side of the building that greets travelers off the interstate to remain a blank slate. So, it commissioned 47-year-old Andrea Martin to paint a mural, Martin told the Times-News on Aug. 15.
"It was their idea to paint mountains and paint 10 different well-known mountain scenes in the area," she said. "My goal is for families to go to the mural and pick a place they want to go hike for the day."
Painting mural brings back fond memories
Among the mountain scenes are Waterrock Knob, Craggy Gardens, Cold Mountain, Mt. Pisgah, Looking Glass Rock, Chimney Rock, Max Patch, Mt. Mitchell and Jump off Rock.
Painting the mural brings back fond memories for Martin. She said she remembers when she was a child going with her family shopping at The World of Clothing, which was opened in 1977 by its founder, the late Robert D. "Dit" Williams.
"I grew up getting clothes from The World of Clothing. I loved going there as a child and shopping. I always hid in the clothes racks and played with my brother, Tim," she said.
Mural proposed for Sullivan Park: What to know: Parking fees changed again; mural proposed for Sullivan Park
This isn't the first mural Martin has painted in Hendersonville
Martin is a Henderson County native and has two sons she adores: Brayden and Haygan. This isn't the first mural Martin, a 1994 East Henderson High graduate, has painted in Hendersonville, she said.
"The largest (before this one) was the Veteran's Mural on King Street in downtown Hendersonville. It was 90 feet by 20 feet," she said. "I started this one on June 6 and I have worked on it 22 days. I think it will take about 32 days total."
Most mural painters have art backgrounds, but that's not the case with Martin.
"I have never had art classes. My family has artists in it, however, I had no interest in it growing up," she said. "In 2013 my best friend, Marti Garren, asked for me to paint Arlington Cemetery on her dad's truck tailgate. I decided to give it a shot because I love and respect the military. I loved painting it and painted my first mural on King Street in 2016. I have painted over 20 murals all over the Southeast. I have been commissioned to paint them in Daytona Beach and many in the Charlotte area."
Martin owns and operates Meliora House of Design Cabinetry, located at 427 N. Church St. in downtown Hendersonville. For more information about her business go to https://www.melioracabinetry.com or call 828-393-0189.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Henderson County native paints mural on World of Clothing's 500-foot wall
