What began as an act of vandalism on a local, small business has turned into a feel-good story of the community banding together.
Local family restaurant Judy’s Cafe owned and operated by Judy Wang now has a colorful mural on the west side of the building.
Wang said that she noticed graffiti on the side of her restaurant as she drove into work on the morning of May 13th.
Wang called 911 but without any nearby security cameras, she said there was little that the police could do.
Frustrated and angry she posted a picture of the graffiti to Facebook which got the attention of many, including local artist Carla Markwart.
Markwart tells WGIL that she and Wang didn’t know each other before she reached out.
“It’s just such a prominent place and it was just very annoying to see, ” Markwart tells WGIL.
“So I messaged her that I could paint a little mural over it because I’m an artist and I have the paint already, I have the brushes, I had the time.”
Markwart says since it’s art-deco-style building she thought something with abstract deco flowers would work.
She’s spearheaded similar Galesburg murals that have had community involvement including on the side of The Box Art Gallery in downtown.
There were six besides Markwart who worked on the mural, including local teenagers and Roland Williams Jr. who helped Markwart with past murals.
Judy says she’s very “grateful” and left with a feeling that “people care and the community cares.”
Judy Wang and Carla Markwart on Galesburg’s Evening News