RICHLANDS, Va. -Since it was unveiled in 1984, Richlands mural “The Past that Makes the Future Better” has suffered the effects of time. To keep this visual depiction of Richland’s history alive for future generations, the original artist, Ellen Elms, returned to the project four decades later.
This story of preserving history inspired Citizens for the Arts (CART) to contact a filmmaker to document the process.
“…The mural is an integral part of the city because Ellen Elms has done a terrific job of preserving the history of the city in the mural, and my job as a documentarian was to preserve the history and the storytelling of how that historical mural was created, so it was sort of an Inception, it’s a story about a storyteller…” says Jorge Antonio Rey, a director and documentarian.
Rey followed the process of restoring the mural every step of the way and says it helps shine a light on the artistry to be found in the area and share it with the world.
“There is a rich tapestry of artists and art here in the mountains of Southwest Virginia that many people don’t know about, so it gives me great delight to shine a light on the art and artistry that’s happening right here in the hills and to showcase to the rest of the country and the world the amazing genius and artistry that is happening right here,” says Rey.
Elms says, in her years of art experience, she’s never had a film this long made about one of her paintings. This documentary had its premiere showing at a church in downtown Richlands, with many of the artists who helped with the restoration joining the community in reliving this story.
“It made me cry to see so many people here, and I just feel very grateful to have lived here for almost fifty years and have had the support of the community all along as an artist and made many friends here, so it’s very moving to me,” says Elms.
Those we spoke to encourage people to watch this documentary for themselves, with Rey saying that seeing the creative process brought to life will be interesting to those with an interest in art.
Elms encourages fellow small-town artists to not give up on their dreams.
“My advice to aspiring artists is to not think that you can’t do it because you live in a small town or you’re not having access to big corporate support in cities. I came here over fifty years ago and been able to make a living in teaching art and making art, and so, I say go for it. If it’s in your heart, do it,” says Elms.
If you missed this showing, you aren’t out of luck. The full documentary can be found here.
Ellen Elms says you can see her other artwork, including murals in other states, on her website.
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