VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: A visual artist is creating a mural to honor one of Syracuse’s basketball legends.
Zach Card: A Central New York native wants to give back to where he came from through his style of visual art. NCC News reporter Rich Rosa is live in studio with details on what his plans are for the city. Rich?
Rich Rosa: Thanks Zach. Chris B. Murray, a visual artist who grew up in Upstate New York, is giving back to the Salt City. He plans to create a mural on this wall to honor of one Syracuse’s basketball legends at Armory Square. Former Syracuse men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim is a legendary figure in Central New York. Boeheim was at the helm for 47 years, leading the Orange to five NCAA Final Four appearances and winning a national championship in 2003. Visual artist Chris B. Murray, who grew up two hours north of Syracuse wants to pay tribute to Boeheim with a mural in the city’s downtown. Murray says it’s an honor to do this project.
Chris B. Murray: It’s a full circle moment for my career, for, you know, a moment in my life, you know everything’s coming back to kind of where it, essentially started with Upstate New York and Syracuse basketball. So, yeah, those things are very important to me.
Rosa: Murray wants to build a four-story mural on West Fayette Street. He says he want it to be located in the Armory Square neighborhood in downtown Syracuse.
Murray: This location that I have is perfect visibility. You know, no matter what direction you’re coming into town, into that part of the city, I mean, you’re going to see that mural. And that was very important to me for past generations to current generations, to future generations.
Rosa: In the mural, Murray is focusing on different moments on Boeheim’s time with Syracuse basketball.
Murray: Jim had an illustrious career, that it’s impossible to capture every moment of his career in one piece, but I, you know, I wanted to get some of the key moments throughout his 47+ year coaching career.
Rosa: Murray created a GoFundMe page last month to gain support from the Syracuse community. He hopes to paint the mural at the end of August. Live in studio, Rich Rosa, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — A visual artist who grew up in Upstate New York is creating a mural in the Salt City to honor one of Syracuse’s basketball legends.
Former Syracuse men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim is a legendary figure in Central New York.
Boeheim was at the helm for 47 seasons, leading the Orange to five NCAA Final Four appearances and winning a national championship in 2003.
Visual artist Chris B. Murray, who grew up in Potsdam, two hours north of Syracuse, wants to pay tribute to Boeheim with a mural in the city’s downtown.
Murray said it is an honor to paint this mural.
“It’s a full circle moment for my career, for, you know, a moment in my life, you know everything’s coming back to kind of where it, essentially, started with Upstate New York and Syracuse basketball. So, yeah, those things are very important to me,” Murray said.
Murray wants to build a four-story mural at 215 West Fayette St. He said he wants it to be located in the Armory Square neighborhood in downtown Syracuse.
“This location that I have is perfect visibility. You know, no matter what direction you’re coming into town, into that part of the city, I mean, you’re going to see that mural. And that was very important to me for past generations to current generations, to future generations,” Murray said.
In the mural, Murray is focusing on different moments of Boeheim’s time with Syracuse men’s basketball.
“Jim had an illustrious career, that it’s impossible to capture every moment of his career in one piece, but I, you know, I wanted to get some of the key moments throughout his 47-plus year coaching career,” Murray said.
Murray created a GoFundMe page last month to gain support from the Syracuse community and wants people to make a donation. He hopes to paint the mural at the end of August.
He also has received direct support from Boeheim’s wife, Juli. She has introduced Murray to important members of the city to get approval for the mural.