The Shadow
Local artist Cheyenne Marcus has once again captivated the city of Covington and the community at large with her extraordinary talent and artistic finesse. From a young age, she nurtured her passion after winning an art contest in the very same library —Alleghany Highlands Regional Library located at 406 W. Riverside Drive in Covington— when she was around 8 years old.
Not only was Marcus recently commissioned to paint 4 magnificent paintings in the Alleghany Highlands Regional Library, but city manager Allen Dressler also requested a mural to cover up the aging wall located on N. Monroe Avenue. Dressler explained that it was the late Bill Zimmerman, former Covington City Councilman, who initially sought to have that wall beautified for the people in his community. “He’s looking down on it and he’s smiling,” said Dressler who also noted that “Cheyenne has been absolutely wonderful to work with.”
Marcus’ artistic journey truly began a decade ago when she picked up a paintbrush and discovered her natural artistic abilities for creating stunning visuals. “I’ve been painting since I was 14,” said Marcus, “and trying to go to craft shows and start my own business. I had big dreams and my grandma and my mom fed them.”
Over the past three years, Cheyenne Marcus has traveled to 9 different states painting murals in hopes of completing her “50 in 50” project. Her “50 in 50” project, in short, is simply to paint 50 murals in all 50 states. Her website: www.cheyennerenee.com offers additional details and showcases several of her beautiful murals already up in Clifton Forge and Covington (her first two murals to begin the “50 in 50” project), and the states of West Virginia, Wyoming, California, Nevada, etc. “Over the summer, I’ll be hitting a lot of the Northeastern states,” she said, with her desire being to focus on small towns or businesses.
Lisa Sponaugle, library director at Alleghany Highlands Regional Library, recognized Cheyenne’s artistic brilliance, reached out to her, and commissioned her to do four breathtaking and bold children’s paintings to adorn the walls of the children’s section. “She [Lisa Sponaugle] really wanted to include things like fantasy and outer space; things that made kids think about different storylines or imagination,” Marcus said.
“The library is just super super excited to have her artwork here,” Sponaugle said. “It kinda ties into the rest of the community.” The pieces that Cheyenne Marcus created for the library were four beautiful masterpieces that transformed the atmosphere, enchanting young children and adults alike and challenging them to dive into their creativity and explore their imaginations. Cheyenne’s use of vibrant, vivid colors and whimsical characters left an indelible mark, leaving the town craving for more.
According to both Cheyenne Marcus and Allen Dressler, there may just be more to come from this extraordinarily talented young woman. Stay tuned!
