The following guidance was given to the artists to assist them in creating their designs.

 

We are looking for a beautiful work of art that local residents and visitors will enjoy as they walk or drive by on University Blvd or Grandview Ave, something that will make the people of Wheaton feel proud to display and that will let visitors know Wheaton is a community that values art.

 

The messages that the mural could communicate are as diverse as the Wheaton community. Therefore, the artist will need to make choices about how and whether to express these messages.

 

It is important that the mural communicate the cultural diversity of Wheaton. This can be done through images of people or through the designs and symbols and colors associated with diverse cultures. Many Wheaton neighborhoods are 50% Spanish speaking, but Wheaton also has a significant Asian and African and African-American population. Wheaton is also home to many white residents, some whose parents bought their first home here in the 1950s.

 

Some of the other mural messages that would be valued by the community are:

 

Wheaton’s History. For most of Wheaton’s history after Native Americans were forced out, the area around Wheaton was farmland, mills and the intersection of three roads: the road from Georgetown to Bladensburg, the road from DC to Baltimore and the road from this junction to the ferry across the Potomac to northern Virginia. These highways still define Wheaton. You can see Wheaton history here.

 

The Elbe’s Story. Elbe’s started soon after WWII when Wheaton experienced a baby boom, a housing boom and the construction of one of the DC area's largest shopping malls. Wheaton was, and still is “affordable.” People move here because they can afford to own a house or start a business here. As a result, Wheaton has become the launchpad for new arrivals and their American dreams, many of whom have come from Central and South America, from Asia, Africa and Central Europe. To serve these immigrant communities, restaurants were started and over time have given Wheaton a reputation around the region for its excellent ethnic restaurants.

 

The artist should consider incorporating images of Elbe’s origins as a “corner grocery store.” Some have even suggested painting images of founders Willie and Miriam Bobrow, but this is not a requirement, just a suggestion from the community. Old photo images can be seen here.

 

The design should consider the location and points of view from which the mural will be admired. Although people will be able to stand in front of it briefly for “selfies”, this will not be a place for gathering because it’s the driveway to the store. The best views will be from University Blvd eastbound whether in a car or on foot, and from Grandview Ave headed toward the Metro. Others will see the mural as they enter the store from the door on the far right corner of the building. The Elbe’s sign and the Md Lottery sign on the far left will remain, as will the small sign over the door. All other signage and ads will be removed and the wall will be prepped for the artists work. The artist should consider the entire wall as their canvas and they can design their mural to go from roof to driveway, around the signage or to the right of it. The artist can also design a rectangular mural if that shape is best suited to their design.