Sunday, September 8, 2024
By Eva Westein
Contributing Writer
GREEN BAY – A new mural honoring Green Bay Packers legend Bart Starr has been completed in downtown Green Bay just in time for next year’s NFL Draft.
The mural is located on the side of the historic Bellin Building at 103 E. Walnut St., Green Bay, adjacent to the recently renamed Bart Starr Memorial Bridge.
The mural, painted by local artist Beau Thomas, features an action shot of the bridge’s namesake alongside his quotation, “I was just one part of a great team.”
Thomas, owner of Trackside Design LLC, explained that this particular piece of work took a long time to come to fruition.
“I had been trying to get a project done on that wall for almost five years — pitching various ideas to the building owner and Downtown Green Bay. The Walnut Street Bridge was recently named after Bart Starr and that’s how the idea came to honor him on that nearby wall. Green Bay’s 2025 Draft also helped add more incentive to complete this one,” he said.
The Bart Starr Memorial Bridge inspiring the decision for the mural’s subject is no surprise considering Thomas’ method of choice for deciding what to fill a space with.
“I like to start the mural process by looking at the space or environment I’m working in, thinking about the client and their needs with the project and what I can do to bring my style and solution to everything,” he stated.
As a local artist, Thomson has completed many other murals in the Green Bay area.
Perhaps one of his most recognizable murals is “The Broadway Mural” which is located on Dubois Formalwear’s building at 127 South Broadway St.
The postcard-inspired design is located on a highly visible wall within the community and draws inspiration from different scenes that can be found within the Broadway District.
“Painting across Green Bay has been a long-term goal of mine. I’ve been in business for over 10 years now and have focused on completing some of the largest murals on the biggest and best walls… Mural painting lets you leave your mark across communities and change the way the world looks, it’s a real privilege,” explained Thomas.
You can check out more of Beau Thomas’ work at www.tracksidedesign.com.
