UNF student designs Murray Hill mural

A Murray Hill J&W Discount store soon to open on Post Street isn’t going to be your usual colorless building with a big, bright sign. On the side of the building, there will be a mural of jellyfishes designed and painted by UNF’s very own Meredith Sullivan.

Her painting is a swarm of colorful jellyfish floating on the side of the building. Each jellyfish is a different color, and has a different design from plain solid, to striped to spots. All of the jellyfish are floating in a different directions, which caused several of them to collide in the middle creating a colorful design and eye-catching mural.

“I wanted to incorporate the ocean-life of Jacksonville,” Sullivan said. “I wanted to also include all the colors of the color wheel, and make it vibrant.”

The mural is part of the Murray Hill Mural Project, whose goal was to make four murals to help revitalize the Murray Hill neighborhood near Riverside. It was established in 1906.

Jason Tetlak, president of MHPA, said the mural project has been extremely successful since last year, with the Murray Hill Preservation Association commissioning around eight to nine murals.

“We will keep going as long as people are still interested in seeing more,” Tetlak said.

The mural is on the side of a J&W discount store

The way the project works is that MHPA will first find a building, and then consult the owner to see if they are interested in making the mural. The association will make a call for artists and accept submissions from them, and the owner ultimately chooses from those submissions.

“We received 10 designs [for the J&W Discount store], and her’s just stood out.” said Michael Danhour, president of Danhour Group and owner of the building. “It catches your eye, and just made sense.”

Sullivan said she was astonished when she found out Danhour picked her design.

“I don’t usually win stuff,” she said. “I am overwhelmingly shocked and honored.”

Danhour is planning on having a grand opening and reveal party on May 27. He also plans on including more murals on his buildings in the future.

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