The Town of Pittsboro celebrated the life of a beloved folk artist with a restored mural and informational medallion on Sunday.
Located at 49 West Salisbury Street in downtown Pittsboro, the original Clyde Jones mural was commissioned in 1996 by Tami Schwerin and Lyle Estill as an early public art offering on the wall of their downtown software business. The restoration process began last year by Thomas Begley, with guidance from Chapel Hill muralist Michael Brown and Stephan Meyers, a longtime friend and archivist for Jones. The dedication ceremony took place at 1 p.m.
Chatham County folk artist Clyde Jones (1937-2025). (Photo by Bett Wilson Foley via Chatham Arts Council.)
Funded by community donations, the medallion marks the mural’s completion and follows Jones’ passing in December. It features a QR code linking to a webpage detailing the history of Jones’ life and extensive work, hosted and designed by Chatham Arts Council. The renovation project was financed by the Town of Pittsboro and a Chatham Arts Council grant.
Also known as the “The Critter Man,” the longtime Bynum resident dedicated his life and work to children of all ages. He is best known for his whimsical wooden “Critters,” sculpted with a chainsaw out of cedar logs. The mural captures the spirit of Jones, who lived by the motto “It’s all about the kids,” according to a June 2 town release. It is also his largest existing public work.
“This is my first restoration project,” Begley shared in an interview with PBS. “I’m trying to make decisions in the restoration that honor the choices he made originally. It feels like a real privilege. It feels like an honor to be able to work on this project that’s part of a legacy and part of a heritage.”
The painting work by Begley was completed last year, and the restored mural also features a portrait of Jones and a group scene, based on a photo taken the day the original piece was completed. Many of the critters close to ground level were painted by those community members, and the restoration process included bringing their and Jones’ since faded and obscured animals back to life.
The original 1996 Clyde Jones mural in downtown Pittsboro and the community members who helped contribute to it. The group is depicted in the restored mural. (Image by Jerry Markatos via Chatham Arts Council.)
“I was really helped by the fact that [Jones] paints with a really thick brush,” Begley said. “He always used a lot of paint on his brushes, and so there’s a really three-dimensional quality to the brushstrokes. So it kind of, even through layers of spray paint, whitewash, whatever, there was sort of this almost like a bas relief of his original.”
Born in 1937, Jones was recognized by scholars as a Visionary Outsider Artist, and his art often reflects a deep attentiveness to the world — its textures, histories, and both animal and human stories. He never sold his work, but pieces have been featured in magazines and books worldwide. They can also be found in private collections, museums and galleries across the United States.
The folk artist could often be seen roaming town daily on his lawnmower, according to his obituary. Friends, fellow artists, and neighbors remember him as thoughtful, observant, and quietly generous with his time and his art. Whether working independently in his studio or engaging with others, Jones believed art was not only something to be made, but something to be shared. He often donated his critters to schools, local nonprofits, neighbors, friends, and community members.
Featured image via the Town of Pittsboro.
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