Olivia Williams’ Mural Rocks First City Records
Marietta’s music scene just got a little louder—visually, at least.
Artist Olivia Williams has transformed an interior wall of First City Records into a psychedelic tribute to rock ‘n’ roll legends. Swirling with electrifying colors and portraits of music’s greatest icons, the mural captures the spirit of rebellion, rhythm, and raw energy that define the genre.
Aaron Whited, owner of First City Records, said he didn’t have a specific vision in mind for the mural. Aside from suggesting a few artists he thought would look cool, he encouraged Olivia to be as creative as she wanted with the composition.
The completed mural, photographed by Michelle Waters
“I was heavily inspired by psychedelic concert posters from the 1970s, so I wanted to create a mashup of some of the most influential artists from that time period with select colors to brighten up the store,” she said.
The mural features portraits of David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Nicks, among others, along with iconography from The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead.
This was Olivia’s first large-scale mural. She began working on it last June but had to return to WVU in the fall, limiting her work to select weekends and school breaks. She finally completed it in January.
“The most challenging part of this project was getting into a rhythm,” she said. “Since I was inexperienced with painting murals, I learned a lot of lessons that would have saved me time while completing it. Traveling back and forth from college was definitely difficult due to me having to work on the painting at night while the store was closed, into the late hours of the morning.”
Aaron said he’s thrilled with how the mural turned out. “That long wall just seemed like a perfect blank canvas for something amazing,” he said. “Art and music go hand in hand, and it will definitely be a focal point of our store going forward. Expect to see the mural show up on coffee mugs and stickers in the near future.”
Limited edition signed and numbered prints of the mural—photographed by Michelle Waters—are currently available through First City Records. Once they sell out, Aaron plans to order another batch of unsigned prints. Proceeds from print sales go back to the artist.
Olivia said she’s most pleased with the vibrancy and soul of the painting. “I gave up painting for a long time, so this project was a gateway for me to reintroduce a passion and a way to sharpen my skills.”
She is currently open to commissions and can be reached at wolivia05@outlook.com.