Mural Name: Light of a New Dawn 
Location: 110 Southern St. Rock Hill, SC at Hoppin’ 
Artists: Sydney Duarte @traveling_gypsy & Treazy Treaz @treazytreaz
Fun Fact: Sydney is the first female artist to add color to Rock Hill for the Mural Mile city beautification project

Sydney Duarte

 

1. What was your inspiration for this mural and what do you hope people take away from it?


Our inspiration and intention is to spark a sense of wonder, awe, and discovery through the engagement of color and creation. Evoking a sense of excitement and celebration while welcoming visitors to the space and inviting them to connect with the town. We hope they gain a new perspective of nature to see endless positive possibilities for the future ahead of them with each new sunrise.

 

2. How does this mural relate to the surrounding area or community?


The natural elements of wildflowers and animals are native to South Carolina and are to remind us that it is our role in the present to preserve Mother Nature in order to have a prosperous future.

 

3. What is the meaning behind the different elements in the mural?

  • The mandala in the center represents wholeness, timelessness, and unity. Symbolizing that everything in life is interconnected and never-ending.
  • The heron symbolizes good luck, prosperity, harmony, and peace. 
  • Ducks teach you how to dive deep on the quest for self-discovery, all while you develop a greater sense of community.
  • The eastern tiger swallowtail in the top left corner is the state butterfly. Butterflies symbolize transformation and metamorphosis as you move through the different cycles of life.

 

 The wildflowers throughout the wall are:

  • Yellow jessamine stands for the state's courage, dignity, and perseverance in the face of adversity, and is a reminder of the importance of cherishing the natural beauty of the region
  • Azaleas are a symbol of love
  • Black-eyed Susan symbolizes encouragement, motivation, and endurance
  • Purple irises symbolize wisdom and hope
  • Spider lilies are a reminder to live life to the fullest. Landsford Canal State Park is just a few miles from Rock Hill and is home to the world’s largest population of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies. These beautiful flowers bloom each year along the Catawba River and can be viewed from the park from May through mid-June. A 1.5-mile, round-trip hike down the Canal Trail takes you to an overlook where the spider lilies can be best viewed.

 

4. Have you created other murals in this area or similar styles?

 

We paint all over the world, but this is our first mural in this area and we are ecstatic to see all of the colors and variety of styles throughout the town. We love painting nature and have many different variations of nature scenes coming to life with local critters and plant life depending on where the project is located. In Australia, we’ve painted koalas, lorikeet, quokkas, and kangaroos. In Brazil, we painted a tapir, jaguars, rainbow boa, tanager, and more.

 

5. What is the Mural Mile?


The Mural Mile is an initiative that engages the Rock Hill community and local artists in the design and installation of 10 murals on various buildings throughout Rock Hill’s downtown and textile corridor within a one-mile radius. The funding contributors for this mural were:
Arts Council, RHEDC Quality of Life Committee, Vinyet, Old Town Association, and funding from an NEA grant. Learn more here.

 

6. Are there any other murals projects you are proud of that you would like to share with the readers?


If you’re interested in going on another art adventure, Sydney and Treazy lead the Luminous Lane initiative in Charlotte, NC where you can find new murals, fiber art, paste-ups, and more from 42 artists of all different backgrounds and styles. They transformed a whole block-long alley, activating every inch with color.  You can learn more about this fun project here.


​