Duct tape, umbrella help Athens artist Will Eskridge cope with heat while painting Bojangles mural

Andrew Shearer, Athens Banner-Herald
·3 min read
The first outdoor mural by Athens artist Will Eskridge can be seen in the drive-thru at the Atlanta Highway Bojangles location. Eskridge and his brother, Rame, completed the mural during the heat wave of June 2022.
The first outdoor mural by Athens artist Will Eskridge can be seen in the drive-thru at the Atlanta Highway Bojangles location. Eskridge and his brother, Rame, completed the mural during the heat wave of June 2022.

From the gladiator at Clarke Central High School and the tiger at Coile Middle School to the flag of Mexico in the main dining area at the Prince Avenue Agua Linda location, Will Eskridge's murals have become a staple of public art in Athens.

Last month, Eskridge was commissioned to paint two murals at the Bojangles on Atlanta Highway, one on the inside and one covering the wall at the restaurant's drive-thru entrance. The drive-thru piece would be his 10th overall, and his first-ever outdoor project. But soaring temperatures posed a challenge.

Since the busiest times at Bojangles were between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., Eskridge wasn't able to get started until the hottest times of the day, which sometimes reached 102 degrees during the period of Jun. 21-28, when the mural was completed.

Brothers Rame and Will Eskridge (L-R) take a celebratory selfie on Jun. 28, 2022 after completing their mural at the Atlanta Highway Bojangles location in Athens, Ga.
Brothers Rame and Will Eskridge (L-R) take a celebratory selfie on Jun. 28, 2022 after completing their mural at the Atlanta Highway Bojangles location in Athens, Ga.

"It was hotter than 40, as my dad would say," Eskridge told the Banner-Herald. "I duct-taped an umbrella to the scissor lift and brought plenty of water."

Since the restaurant is open until 10 p.m. each day, Eskridge was able to take breaks in the air conditioning, and the restaurant staff went outside regularly to check on him. Eskridge said he also took them up on offers of free food and drink during the work days.

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When the final stretch arrived, Eskridge brought in his brother, Rame, to help fill in some of the larger areas of the mural, which depicts University of Georgia football tailgaters being treated to multiple items from the "UGA Big Bo Box" menu item launched into the air by a giant cartoon chicken.

Lela Dinakaran, director of marketing and community relations for the restaurant location, reached out to multiple local artists for mural design proposals and responded strongly to Eskridge's ideas.

"I moved to Athens right before UGA won the SEC championship, and was very inspired by the town's support for the team," Dinakaran said. "I wanted to combine that with the art that is all around the city, and Will's concept nailed exactly what I'd had in mind."

Lela Dinakaran, director of marketing for the Atlanta Highway Bojangles location, stands in front of Will Eskridge's postcard mural inside the restaurant on Jun. 30, 2022.
Lela Dinakaran, director of marketing for the Atlanta Highway Bojangles location, stands in front of Will Eskridge's postcard mural inside the restaurant on Jun. 30, 2022.

Dinakaran said that Athens-Clarke County requires a sign permit for any art that represents a business, and that Eskridge worked with the local government to make sure everything went through the approval process. On the Bojangles corporate side, Dinakaran said that the marketing board was very supportive of the project, and UGA signed off on the design as well.

Dinakaran's family owns Bojangles franchises in Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, and she said that they strive to bring that closeness into the restaurants with staff and customers like. The ethic of hospitality also extended to working with Eskridge on the mural.

"I told the Atlanta Highway team that Will was part of the family, and to help him with anything he needed," said Dinakaran. "They developed a real friendship with Will during that time, which was so great to witness."

Eskridge is currently in talks with the Agua Linda location on Timothy Road to create a mural at the restaurant. To see more of his art, visit www.willeskridge.com.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens restaurant supported local artist who painted mural in heatwave