WAYNE – An artist who once attended Wayne State College has beautified downtown Wayne by painting a mural on the side of a local business.
Gabe Perez of Pender created a mural on the north side of Nana’s This & That store on the southwest corner of Third and Main in Wayne. The project was a joint effort between Perez, Wayne businessman and Wayne State Foundation trustee Carter “Cap” Peterson, and the Wayne State Foundation Alumni Office.
Amber Sperry, director of alumni relations for the Wayne State Foundation, said it was the perfect project for the college and the community.
“Collaborating with Gabe on this mural was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the deep connection between Wayne State College and the Wayne community,” Sperry said. “With the support of Cap Peterson, this mural beautifully represents our shared values and pride. Wayne State is an important part of this community, and this artwork spreads Wildcat pride while reinforcing the importance of our college to the spirit and identity of the city.”
Since Peterson owned the building, Sperry contacted him to see if he would participate in the project, which he did. While Sperry began looking for a local artist, Peterson began thinking about what subjects he wanted to use for the mural. After Perez was hired as the artist, the three began brainstorming different designs for the mural.
Peterson said numerous design options were considered before settling on the final design. The mural is approximately 15 feet tall and 40 feet wide and was completed in eight hours. It was painted entirely with spray paint and the U.S. flag was created in 3D.
“We wanted to make sure the mural included the community, our schools, agriculture and everything else related to Wayne,” said Peterson, president of Northeast Nebraska Insurance Agency. “Gabe did a fantastic job on this mural from start to finish and everyone is extremely pleased with it.”
