Public Mural Projects
&
Offsite Exhibits
We partnered with other city organizations to go beyond the gallery walls and impact our community even more with public art projects. We look forward to many more partnerships and adding more color to our Suffolk community. If you are an artist and would like to be considered for future projects, don't hesitate to contact us.
Mural Projects Proud Partners
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In partnership with the City of Suffolk and Keep Suffolk Beautiful, we have selected an artist to design and create a mural for a public space within the Downtown Suffolk area. The artwork will attract the attention of attendees at the Downtown Festival Park located 215 W. Washington St., Suffolk, VA 23434. This new park invites families to enjoy music, festivals, movies, and a celebration of the arts in the heart of downtown Suffolk.
Special thanks to contributors in assisting in this project:
Starr Motors, the Baker family, the Cross family, and the Duman family.
Meet the Artist:
Jorge-Miguel Rodriguez, with over eight years of experience in creating imaginative and engaging public art
pieces, he has collaborated with various brands and teams to bring unique designs to
life. His approach to mural projects involve developing original designs tailored
specifically to each space—whether featuring characters, abstract elements, or bold
orals. With careful consideration to size, character, and location of each wall he ensures a
site-specific design that harmonizes with its surroundings.
Jorge has completed a mural in the Vibe District, which has deepened his connection
and understanding of the Hampton Roads community. Having painted murals in diverse locations such
as Florida, Texas, Vancouver, and abroad, we are confident that his extensive
experience and creative vision will make him a strong candidate for this project.
We are eager to welcome Jorge to Suffolk inspiring others making art available to all!
Special thanks to contributors in assisting in this project:
Starr Motors, the Baker family, the Cross family, and the Duman family.
Meet the Artist:
Jorge-Miguel Rodriguez, with over eight years of experience in creating imaginative and engaging public art
pieces, he has collaborated with various brands and teams to bring unique designs to
life. His approach to mural projects involve developing original designs tailored
specifically to each space—whether featuring characters, abstract elements, or bold
orals. With careful consideration to size, character, and location of each wall he ensures a
site-specific design that harmonizes with its surroundings.
Jorge has completed a mural in the Vibe District, which has deepened his connection
and understanding of the Hampton Roads community. Having painted murals in diverse locations such
as Florida, Texas, Vancouver, and abroad, we are confident that his extensive
experience and creative vision will make him a strong candidate for this project.
We are eager to welcome Jorge to Suffolk inspiring others making art available to all!
Jorge-Miguel Rodriguez: www.rodridesigns.com
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The Gallery at Godwin Apartments- Rotating Exhibits May 2026 to May 2027 Artist Bios
Elizabeth River Artists: May to July 2026
The Elizabeth River Artists is an organized local artist group that has been meeting for over 50 years. Their members share artistic inspiration with each other and attend group discussions, demonstrations, workshops, and field trips to enhance their skills. Their yearly contributions to three student scholarships help new artists recognize their potential. The members exhibit their work multiple times per year in a variety of shows and galleries, both as a group and independently. Many of the members participate in the free, open-to-the-public studio space provided by the Suffolk Art League on Tuesday mornings. Independent art time- any skill level, multiple mediums, bring your own supplies and enjoy time with other creatives.
The Elizabeth River Artists is an organized local artist group that has been meeting for over 50 years. Their members share artistic inspiration with each other and attend group discussions, demonstrations, workshops, and field trips to enhance their skills. Their yearly contributions to three student scholarships help new artists recognize their potential. The members exhibit their work multiple times per year in a variety of shows and galleries, both as a group and independently. Many of the members participate in the free, open-to-the-public studio space provided by the Suffolk Art League on Tuesday mornings. Independent art time- any skill level, multiple mediums, bring your own supplies and enjoy time with other creatives.
Artist Alison Speerbecker
Exhibit Date: August to October 2026 
Artist Richard Howard
Exhibit Dates: January to March 2027 Richard Howard was born in Norfolk, VA. He is a self-taught artist who works in multiple mediums, including acrylic, relief ink, oil and chalk pastel, graphite, and colored pencils. By studying the masterpieces displayed at the Chrysler Museum, along with Nickelodeon Saturday morning cartoons and any art books he could get his hands on, he has developed a style built on layers, geometric shapes, and bright, vivid colors in a purely abstract form.
Richard’s work has been exhibited in national juried group shows in Norfolk, Virginia. He has also shown paintings at the Suffolk Art League Gallery and created murals for the MOCA boardwalk art show and street art festival in Virginia Beach. |
Artist Kim Ellis
Exhibit Dates: November to January 2027 Kim Ellis is an author, illustrator, art teacher, and homeschool mom. Born in South Korea and raised in an United States Air Force family, she lived in Japan and across the U.S. before earning a degree in children’s book illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design.
She is the author of Butterflies for Rory, Zach’s Family, Annyeong, Korea!, and Penny’s Treehouse Triumph, and was named Best Local Author by the Suffolk News-Herald in 2021 and 2022. She lives in Suffolk, where she also serves on the Suffolk Public Library Advisory Board. 
Artist Maggie Kerrigan
Exhibit Dates: March to May 2027 Maggie Kerrigan considers altered books to be a method of eliciting a further message from the printed page, augmenting the initial narrative created by the author. Adding an artistic twist to the physical form of the book allows her to merge her own impressions and message with that of the author. This provides the viewer
with an added dimension to consider regarding the original literary work. Originally a trained watercolorist, Kerrigan began altering books after seeing the works by an anonymous artist in Scotland. With very few people working in this medium, she broke new ground, experimenting with a variety of techniques, and honing her methods to get the desired results. As a result, Kerrigan developed a unique process for carving books that no other artist has replicated. She’s very proud of being a pioneer in this art form. “Most of my books are obtained from charity shops and are at their last stop before the landfill. I rescue them, transform them, and turn them into treasures to be appreciated.” Kerrigan exhibits in local, regional and national shows and has won several awards. She teaches both painting and altering books, along with business skills and coaching for artists. She is heavily involved in the Virginia Beach Art Center and her local artist community. After years of living abroad, Kerrigan now creates in her studio in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Her early career as an elementary school teacher took her to live in Germany and then Iceland. Then her husband’s Naval career took them to Hawaii and London. The experiences of living and traveling abroad for so many years gave Kerrigan a unique perspective and outlook on life that informs her art. |