Wings for Wytheville: A Community Mural for a Town on the Rise

Lily Formato
Jul 18
2 min read

On the side of my gallery at 100 W Main Street in Wytheville, a butterfly has landed. Specifically, a hand-painted pair of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail wings—Virginia’s state butterfly—stretched wide across the brick wall on Tazewell Street. This mural is more than just a photo op. It’s a celebration of transformation, not just in art, but in this town I call home.

When I was growing up in Wytheville, there wasn’t much to do. No breweries. No downtown nightlife. No art galleries. No visible spaces for creativity or connection. Like a lot of small Appalachian towns, it felt like the best way to make something of yourself was to leave.

But in the past few years, something’s been changing.

We’ve welcomed two breweries, the revival of the Millwald Theatre, new cafes, Appalachian Pottery, art studios, bowling alleys, and the kind of energy that tells you this town is investing in itself. We’re no longer a place you just pass through—we're a place you stop, stay, and explore.

That’s exactly what this mural is about.

I painted it freehand, right there on the sidewalk, and from the very first brushstroke, I felt the community watching—and cheering it on. Folks would slow down their cars to shout encouragement. Children pointed and smiled, telling their moms they saw “a real artist” painting. Some people came by every few days just

to see how it was coming along.

Miss Chautauqua, Abi Long posing for a photo-op

This butterfly was created to invite interaction—to offer something joyful, something beautiful, and something people could step into. It’s for the people of Wytheville, but also for the people who visit us, take photos, and help spread the word that this town is blooming.

I went to Wytheville Community College, then earned my BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago—but I came back. I came home. Because I believe Wytheville deserves bold, beautiful, public art. And I believe in building a creative ecosystem that doesn’t just survive, but thrives.

This mural is just one piece of that. It's part of a larger vision that includes Formato Fine Arts, our local artists, and the growing network of folks working to make Wytheville a cultural destination.

So come see it. Take your photo. Bring your kids. Share it with a friend. Because this mural is more than just wings —it’s a way of showing that small towns can grow wings, too.