Holley native completes mural celebrating her hometown

Photo courtesy of Mary Jo Whitman

HOLLEY – The “Holley is Home” mural is done. Mary Jo Whitman, a Holley native and graduate, spent about six weeks diligently creating the mural on the Geddes Street side of the Heath and Heath law offices at 66 Public Square.

Whitman, a Batavia resident, used a $7,500 grant through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council to create the mural. She was approached by Holley mayor Mark Bower about a mural with Holley landmarks.

Whitman painted the Salisbury Fountain, the Holley Waterfalls, the gazebo by the canal, the old Holley High School and the block of storefronts in the Public Square that incudes Sam’s Diner.

Holley with have a celebration soon for the new addition celebrating the community.

Whitman posted on Facebook that she enjoyed being in Holley while working on the project.

“Spending so much time there over the past month and half, I got to see so many faces I haven’t seen in decades, and meet so many new people,” she said. “I can’t even begin to express how amazing the community was to me. I’m not going to lie, I had some really tough and frustrating moments throughout the process. But it was the love, support and appreciation of the community that got me through those moments. So thank you everyone that stopped out, it really meant a lot to me.”