PLEASE WELCOME TANDEM ARTS COLLECTIVE MURALISTS TO BEDFORD!
Bedford Get Together is pleased to announce the award of a contract for painting the Centertown mural to Tandem Arts Collective muralists, Josh and Libby Nolan-Shafer of Roanoke. Tandem was chosen unanimously by a Selection Panel made up of a rich variety of Town and County residents. Their work will start July 2, and they will be a frequent sight around town for the next month. “We hope many residents of the Town and County will visit Centertown frequently to watch them as the image emerges and cheer them on,” said Heather Dooley of Bedford Get Together.
Josh grew up in the Midwest, eventually moving to Roanoke in 2019. He went to school for art, graduating in 2016 at Kansas State University and immediately pursued an art career. Libby’s family has a rich military history going back to the Revolution. Her father was a nuclear power engineer on submarines in the Navy for many years before changing careers to medicine. She grew up on bases all over the east coast, lived in Okinawa for four years, and eventually settled in Roanoke in 2011.
The two artists met on a dating app in 2021, married a year later, and have been painting murals together ever since. Starting with window murals and small murals in the Roanoke area, they got a contract to paint a 2,700 sq. ft. mural at Barrows, Inc., a local design company, and decided to paint murals full-time. According to Josh and Libby, “It’s always a grind, but it’s been very fulfilling to be our own bosses and get the opportunity to spend our lives making art together.”
Over the years, Josh and Libby have developed complementary styles. In the beginning, Josh was the only one with formal painting experience. But Libby learned how to paint by painting murals, “which is a wild way to learn how to paint. To this day, she has a hard time working small! She usually comes up with the concept for our pieces, and I translate it visually. It’s a very collaborative way to work,” remarked Josh. The business name “Tandem” was born from a friend’s suggestion on a bike ride for a free slushy. “She suggested we should name our business Tandem, since we love bikes, and it makes sense for a business driven by two people moving in the same direction.”
Libby found the Call for Artists for the project in early March and was instantly interested in the concept for the image. She knew she would have a unique take on the idea of a military theme and wanted to focus on the idea of “reunification”--making the piece about communication with loved ones while they are deployed and the boundless joy of their safe return. Her personal experience as part of a military family drove the concept for the image.
Bedford Get Together wishes to recognize and thank the many volunteers, advisors, supporters, and donors who made this project possible. Hats off to Tandem Arts Collective for bringing their ideas to life in a special way in honor of all individuals who serve or have served in the military-and those on the home front-in the community we all love.
Bedford Get Together, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) private, non-profit organization devoted to creating connections in our community by offering opportunities for all current and future community members to enhance their awareness, open mindedness, and respect.