Vazquez's artwork helping spark interest in Edenton's downtown

EDENTON — When the town of Edenton came calling, Bryan Vazquez’s first reaction was that he had to be in trouble.

“I was in class at John A. Holmes High School when I got called to the office,” he said. “I was, like, ‘Oh, crap! I’m about to get in trouble for something, ‘cause that’s my first reaction.’”

But he wasn’t in trouble, far from it.

Ches Chesson, director of Destination Downtown Edenton, wanted to use Vazquez’s artistic talents to help change the town’s image and spread a little Christmas cheer.

“They said this guy wants to talk to you about doing some stuff for him, general art stuff,” Vazquez said. “They asked me if I was up for it, and I was, like, yeah!”

Chesson wanted someone who could transform two of Edenton’s most prominent empty buildings, the vacant Sears and Gordman’s storefront windows, from symbols of rural decay into messages of Christmas spirit. He wanted Vazquez to paint Christmas murals on the plate glass, brightening the street and hiding empty store interiors while his agency continues to work on filling them.

“It looked so sad and lonely,” Vazquez recalled his first reaction to the assignment. “My purpose was to make it look spruced up, to give the town a little bit of color.”

Chesson hired the Holmes High School student as an intern, letting him use his imagination and artistic talent on the windows and giving the artist his first paycheck for creative work. It was a win-win partnership.

“It really makes me happy,” Vazquez said. “I get to express myself and show my art while seeing the town change. After the painting went up, it changed people’s whole day.”

Once the Christmas season was over, it was time to scrape the artwork off the windows. But Chesson found he was seeing interest in both buildings. The artwork made the street look cheerier so the buyers could picture the properties as housing new businesses in a vibrant downtown district.

So, Chesson hired Vazquez to paint spring murals on the two storefronts while he negotiated with potential buyers. As the murals progressed, a contract was signed on the Sears building, and engineers and designers began exploring plans to turn the old Gordman’s building into a series of arcade shops and a food court.

The second contract with the town gave Vazquez a chance to leave a personal message with his art. With each floral design, he included a dedication to important people in his life. On one window, he painted an inscription to his mother.

“For the one who loved me and raised me for the best in this world,” the inscription says.

What started as a chance to make some art and earn a paycheck has become something more satisfying for Vazquez. He feels he helped make something good happen by helping investors take a chance on Edenton.

“Probably from a business standpoint, it’s like they don’t want to take a risk coming out here,” Vazquez said. “But it’s a really great community, and these buildings have a lot of history. I think that’s really important.”

Chesson said he’s delighted with the results.

“Bryan Vazquez came to Destination Downtown Edenton as an eager intern in October 2023. He immediately hit the ground running with the Colonial Christmas windows,” he said.

“He’s since graduated from John A Holmes and works full-time. Still, he continues to advocate for bringing art and creativity into downtown with his latest springtime celebration — just in time for Boogie on Broad and Easels in the Garden,” two popular spring events in Edenton.

“Bryan’s work covering those vacant spaces with joyful and creative artwork is priceless,” Chesson continued. “His hard work and creativity inspire a bright future for Edenton.”