A brick façade frames his artwork, depicting a brilliant sunset, the Great Bridge Bridge and a heron taking flight.
The painting is 6 feet tall and 9 feet wide and is illuminated by overhead lights, making it enjoyable by night. It includes a relief sculpture of a heron, adding dimension.
The mural at the Great Bridge Shopping Center at Battlefield Boulevard and Cedar Road is one of Chesapeake artist Myke Irving’s latest accomplishments.
“We tried to tie everything together, incorporating the image of the bridge and the heron. I’m known for my wild skies and water reflections,” said Irving, who is a self-taught artist. “Murals are one thing that I don’t do on a regular basis, so that was fun in itself.”
The art was commissioned by Great Bridge LLC and was the brainchild of developer Bob Stanton, who was instrumental in having the artwork created in front of the World Trade Center in Norfolk.
It took Irving from October to December 2017 to finish the mural, working on it in the evenings. A prolific artist, he has loved painting ever since he was in elementary school. Although most of his previous work was done in acrylic, he now prefers oil.
Irving is a well-known Chesapeake artist who designed the city’s Blue Heron logo. He also created the heron sculptures that are seen scattered throughout the city.
The unveiling of the city’s first blue heron sculpture took place 12 years ago at Greenbrier Mall. The icon was chosen to represent the city and is a symbol of peace. The “Blue Heron Project,” is part of the nonprofit community initiative to sell Irving’s heron sculptures to area businesses, individuals and other organizations to raise money for education.
Irving said plenty of the bird sculptures remain in storage, awaiting adoption.
While Irving and his wife, Leanne, live on a farm near the Moyock, N.C. line, he said he enjoys an ocean view. He grew up in Virginia Beach and the influence of his upbringing is reflected in his work.
A few years ago, he started painting beachscapes, tall ships and Navy vessels, something that changed his painting direction for the better, he said. Along with water came mermaids.
Irving is one of the many artists who helped manufacture 216 mermaids for Norfolk’s Mermaids on Parade Project. He designed 11 for the original project.
These days he’s working on commissioned seascape paintings and another painting of the Great Bridge Bridge at sunset.
He’s also doing a series of drawings of old favorite regional spots, including the Peppermint Beach Club, the Top Hat Club, the Duck-In and the casino in the Outer Banks.
“Those types of artwork bring you back to a place and time and tell a story. That’s what art should be. It should tell a story and strike some sort of emotion,” Irving said. “That’s what I like about art. People make a connection to it.”
Irving’s art has been purchased internationally online with some of it going to buyers in Australia, Japan, England, Switzerland, and Germany.
“My main goal,” he said, “is to make my clients happy.”