How a touch-up to a downtown Wilmington mural could benefit several groups

It's been there a little over six and a half years, a babe by the standards of historic downtown Wilmington.

In that short time, though, the Second Street Mural, also known as the "I Believe in Wilmington" mural , has become part of the downtown community and a focal point of the burgeoning intersection of Second and Princess streets, not to mention a popular spot for selfies.

If you've walked past the mural in recent weeks, however, you might've noticed some cracked and peeling paint, or that the two wooden boards the mural is painted on have started to separate slightly. Sponsor ads to either side of the mural have been looking slightly weather-worn as well.

Now, after last getting a touch-up more than three years ago , the Second Street Mural is receiving some tender-loving care that will both restore the artwork to its former glory and potentially enhance the ability of the mural's creators to raise money for local nonprofits in its name.

"It builds community," said Billy Mellon, owner of the manna restaurant and Bourgie Nights performance space around the corner. "It's this organic thing that feeds itself."

In 2017, Wilmington artist Ryan Capron painted the mural, which is based on a design by Mellon, and mounted it on the wall where it is today. Mirroring the design of the North Carolina state flag, it features the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge with the Cape Fear River beneath it, and the words "I Believe in Wilmington" emblazoned above.

"I didn't know if the city was going to take it down," Mellon said, a reference to the strict policy regarding murals and other artwork in downtown's central business district. But the mural was pretty much an instant hit and got support from both local businesses and the public.

The idea behind the Second Street Mural, as instigated by Mellon and other downtown business owners , was not only to help make Second and Princess streets a destination for business but also to use the mural and its visibility to raise money for area nonprofits via donations and sales of "I Believe in Wilmington" merchandise.

I Believe in Wilmington: A mural, a movement

One could argue that the project has succeeded on both counts. Second and Princess is as bustling as it's ever been and, to date, Mellon said, more than $15,000 has been raised for and donated to groups including Nourish NC, which aims to feed hungry kids in New Hanover County.

"Last year we took a whole Suburban full of toys" for donation to Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, Mellon said.

If you've walked past the mural in recent days, you might've seen Wilmington artist Ron Lodzinski, who paints under the name Taeneck , out there working on it. He said he got the gig from original mural artist Capron, who had other commitments and couldn't do the work on the Second Street Mural as quickly as it needed.

Lodzinski is one of the Wilmington area's most prolific and accomplished muralists. His work includes murals at Block Taco, Hot Wax Surf Shop, Katy's Grill & Bar and Southside Baptist Church. He also did the giant mural of a Native American in traditional headdress at Nollie's Taco Joint in Carolina Beach and the "I Believe in Burgaw" mural up the road in Pender County.

The eastern-facing Second Street Mural is out in the elements all day, of course, and gets several hours of full sun each morning into afternoon, something that turned the shimmering Cape Fear River depicted in the artwork from blue and white to more of a yellowish color.

Lodzinski said he's scraped off peeling paint, sanded the bad parts and primed where it was needed. He's then repainting the mural with an oil-based enamel. Once it's all done, which should be sometime this month, he'll cover the whole thing with a clear, marine-quality, anti-graffiti sheen.

Matching the original paint colors has been a challenge, Lodzinski said, and he had to redraw parts of the bridge that had faded. At the end of the day, he added, he's just trying to be faithful to Capron's work and Mellon's vision.

Mellon said he wants to do a donation drive and a ribbon-cutting when the project is finished. They're also adding a few more sponsor plaques and a QR code that people will be able to scan to get more info on the Second Street Mural and its mission statement, as well as to buy items like T-shirts, tote bags and stickers to support the project. Most merch is currently sold out but is in the process of being restocked, Mellon said.

"Phase two" of the project, Mellon said, is to create a "giving wall" and add additional artworks to the wall where the Second Street Mural currently hangs, with enhanced night lighting and murals from such local groups as DREAMS of Wilmington, which runs art programs for area children.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: How a touch-up to a downtown Wilmington mural could benefit several groups