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Two best friends and a passion for painting
To two best friends who have been side by side since their high school days, they just see themselves as “little old ladies,” but to the rest of Columbus residents, Doreen Vail and Robyn Adams are two remarkable woman who have marked their legacy through art.
The dynamic duo recently completed a beautiful mural on the front wall of the Nesbitt Memorial Library this past month, capturing the essence of reading and the feeling of stepping into the world of libraries.
Adams and Vail have done various projects around Columbus to date, having painted a billboard, inside businesses, across downtown and personal projects for any who are interested.
What’s interesting about the way they work is delegation of responsibility, with Vail the master craftsmen behind the meticulous detail found in their work and Adams the mastermind behind the ideas which are brought to life by Vail’s artistic ability.
The fearless pair say they were thrilled when the library allowed them to conduct their magic on the outside walls, seeing the work they do as their very own “legacy.”
“The last couple of years we’ve been doing wallpaper, murals, paint, we have even painted the inside of a house that burned down and even the billboard just outside Columbus,” said Adams. “We’re not scared of anything. Everybody says, ‘Get off that scaffold, and get off those ladders.’ We say no.”
Vail and Adams says the idea was thrown their way by the previous library director, Susan Chandler, and the two conjured up their vision of creating an almost dreamlike image of books and characters that would entice both adults and children to take a step inside the library.
The job was made financially stress free with the donation of paint by Ron Rhodes with RDP, a local drywall construction company, but didn’t come without its challenges as the two battled unfavorable weather conditions and circumstances while working on the project.
Nonetheless, Vail and Adams were pleased with the final product and were happy to be of service to the library. When asked what their favorite project has been to date, the two both agreed that the next project always becomes their favorite.
Vail began painting across town as a means of making a side income as a single mother to pay for her kids’ Christmas gifts, evolving from a modest side project to a time-consuming responsibility. Adams hopped on board and began aiding Vail to help with the creative direction and workload involved in bringing the paintings and murals to life.
When the two women aren’t busy beautifying the town with their vibrant art, they spend their time volunteering at Vail’s granddaughter’s restaurant, The Dewberry Café. They say they’re always kept on their feet, but they love what they do, and what they do keeps them alive.
“It certainly keeps us thinking we’re young,” said Vail and Adams. “We’re not, but we think we are. I think it’s what keeps us younger. We have to thank the good Lord for it all of course, but you have to just keep doing things that keep you feeling alive.”
“We’re not scared of anything. Everybody says, ‘Get off that scaffold, and get off those ladders.’ We say no.”
Robyn Adams
