Know a U.S. military Veteran whose commitment to country made him/her larger than life?

The PEACH Pit and The P.E.A.C.H. Center are partnering to honor U.S. military Veterans with ties to Peach County, Georgia. A proposed art installation will commemorate the service of 16 Peach County Veterans with larger-than-life portraits on the side of 118 West Church St. in downtown Fort Valley.

The building has 22 bricked up windows that are about eight feet tall each. Six window spaces will be for the military emblems: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force.

Here’s how the project will work: We’re soliciting nominations (with pictures a mandated part of the nomination packet) for 13 U.S. Veterans from all branches.

One image will be of 2nd Lt. Richard Davis, an original Tuskegee Airman from Fort Valley, and another will be Marine Pvt. First Class CJ Davis, his brother, who earned a Silver Star. The building owner, Gwendolyn McLeod, will also have a spot since it’s her wall. She’s an Army retiree.

A committee of community participants will select the final 13 nominees, and their names will be announced on Veterans Day 2024. The timeline for the portraits and emblems spans two years, with the first eight images being completed by Veterans Day 2025. All others will be completed by Veterans Day 2026.

Nominations for U.S. Veterans to be included will come from the community, and we’re seeking partner funds to allow us to complete the project without charging residents for the portraits. The project will cover about 2,400 square feet on the side of the two-story building, which has high visibility: It’s next to the police department, two buildings from City Hall and the county courthouse, and is one block from the post office. Anyone doing business downtown will see the exhibit.

ARTSi B! (aka Bobbi Stephon), a California-based multimedia artist and with ties to Middle Georgia, will be the portrait artist. She has been commissioned to paint portraits of Kobe Bryant and Oprah Winfrey. Here’s their artist statement. “By recreating portraits with vibrant colors, notable accuracy, and subtle yet identifiable details, I get to tell a story and add images to the collective body of artwork that we have in this world. Making people feel seen, respectfully, and fully represented, often requires composite images and a combination of mixed media. It is a passion and great joy to be witness to the experience art has on generating joy, promoting wellness, and rebuilding esteem. I am humbled and honored to capture the likeness of the U.S. Veterans in Peach County, Ga., in this dedicated, large-scale, visual arts project.” 

If you would like to nominate a U.S. military Veteran (living or dead), please download and complete the form below and return with a picture to Veteran Wall Nomination, PO Box 891, Fort Valley, GA 31030. The nomination deadline is May 31, 2024. Selections will be announced Nov. 11, 2024.

Step 1 — after we have the names and pictures of the U.S. Veterans to be honored — would be to order all material needed for entire mural and then give the artist the photographs to do the portraits. Step 2 is painting the mural and the military seals/emblems. Step 3 is prepping the wall, putting up adhesive with the portraits section by section; seamlessly and sealed.

Call 478-827-3224 if you would like more information on the project or to become a sponsor.