Deb Malewski
Contributing Writer

(Deb Malewski/TCJ – The Eagle, and artists Matthew Abraham and May Mokdad, have landed in Charlotte to pain a commemorative mural at the corner of Lawrence and Cochran.)

Racing against the clock to complete a massive mural before the Fourth of July, nationally known mural artist Matthew Abraham is transforming the side of the Christensen Building in downtown Charlotte into a tribute to America’s 250th anniversary. The building is located at 109 E. Lawrence Avenue, on the corner of Lawrence and Lincoln.

The design includes many patriotic images merged into one: an eagle crashing through a wall, paratroopers, the America 250 logo, military aircraft, the American flag, Mount Rushmore, and more.

Known professionally as Matt Finish, Inc., Abraham has been creating murals for more than 25 years and has completed approximately 200 murals, averaging 15 to 20 each year. He was commissioned by local businesses to create the large America 250-themed mural. The hope was to complete the project by July 4.

The wall presents its own challenges. It’s rough, stucco-like surface is highly porous, requiring nearly twice as much paint as a typical wall. Abraham also works with another unique challenge: he is color blind.

That’s where his wife, May Mokdad, steps in, advising him on colors.

Mokdad, a children’s book author and co-owner of the business, manages Abraham’s clients, business operations, and project logistics. She explained that the mural is ‘a tribute to the freedom forces,’ and that they will also incorporate police and fire department patches into the design “because they, too, are part of the forces that protect us.”

Abraham works primarily with spray paint and is testing for the first time a virtual reality headset to transfer his design from his iPad onto the massive wall. Through the headset, he sees a digital version of the completed mural projected directly onto the building. As he moves, the virtual image remains anchored in place, allowing him to view it from different angles, zoom in on details, and align each stroke of spray paint with the digital design.

The technology cuts the initial layout time in half. In the past, Abraham would have spent nearly two weeks freehand drawing the design onto the wall using careful measurements and mathematical calculations. Instead, he creates the artwork in Procreate on his iPad, presents the design to the client for approval, and then projects it onto the wall using the virtual reality system.

“Once they say ‘wow,’ we’re good to go,” Abraham said with a laugh.

For this project, Abraham was given complete creative freedom by the mural’s principal sponsors, Ross Cupp of 100% Seamless Gutters and Amber Vandermoere, owner of Christensen’s Hair & Lash Services, located in the Christensen Building.

“We knew what we wanted, but we didn’t tell anyone to make it even more fun,” Vandermoere said. “We are grateful to all of the businesses who made it possible by sponsoring the project.”

“We think all the veterans are so important, and it’s just cool for the town,” she added. “It’s fun to watch the progress of the painting, especially for those who know and remember the people who fought for our freedom. Charlotte is a small town with a close-knit community, and we hope to inspire other people to do projects like this.”

For more information about the project or to become a sponsor, contact Amber Vandermoere at (517) 803-0192.