The space between the VyStar Tower and the VyStar Credit Union parking garage, known as the “VyStar Breezeway,” is more than a simple walkway.
The area serves as a gathering space in downtown Jacksonville with several pieces of art, plentiful table and seating options and an open corridor and stage that regularly hosts local musicians during lunchtime. Now a new piece of art colors the wall overlooking the Breezeway. In August, VyStar unveiled a mural on the West Bay Tower painted by Jacksonville-based artist Anthony Rooney.
The mural ties VyStar’s past, present and future together during its 70th year in business.
A nod toward VyStar’s history
The mural illustrates VyStar’s story through a series of emblems.
In the background of the mural is the silhouette of Jacksonville’s skyline, complete with the Main Street bridge and the skyscrapers —the VyStar Tower among them — that make up that view. VyStar’s original name and logo, Jax Navy Federal Credit Union, is emblazoned just above the skyline. In the foreground, VyStar’s newly redesigned logo is faintly imprinted over the scene, while four airplanes, the most striking and colorful piece of the mural, fly just out of frame. The planes are a fitting tribute for a credit union that was founded at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in 1952.
With the completion of this mural, Rooney adds another pin to the map he’s painted across the city. The University of North Florida alumnus has been making his mark all over the First Coast since graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art in 2011. In the years since, he’s added a splash of color to several walls. While his newest installation is noticeably different from his usual whimsical style, Rooney’s touch is woven seamlessly into a picture of VyStar.
Creating the mural
The mural is VyStar’s latest effort to add color to downtown Jacksonville.
“Since we moved our operations into the VyStar Tower, we’ve made focused efforts to create vibrant destinations in our community,” said EVP/Chief Operations Officer Chad Meadows. “From our collaboration with ArtRepublic to create a series of murals in the VyStar Tower parking garage to the newly unveiled mural in the VyStar Breezeway, we’re proud to provide ample space to local artists in service of that goal. We continue to look for opportunities to contribute to the revitalization and development of downtown Jacksonville.”
The project has been in the making for just over a year, and the mural took roughly three weeks to create. At 30 feet by 70 feet, the mural is the largest project Rooney has ever completed. The area itself presented a unique challenge because of how limited access is to the wall.
Rooney used image editing software to scale his artwork in a grid format from his initial design to its final position on the building. He also tested several different paints on bricks at his home and consulted with other mural artists to learn which paints would work best.
The result is a new and unique depiction of VyStar’s story. The VyStar parking garage, which houses even more artwork from several artists in collaboration with Jacksonville-based curation agency ArtRepublic, offers the perfect vantage point for the finished work.
VyStar proudly welcomes the opportunity to brighten the places we call home, foster a culture of creativity and collaboration and support local artistry in all of its forms. Whether we’re creating more inclusive, accessible experiences through music or lending our walls to new murals, we’re thrilled to help make downtown a destination.