Abbeville, La. - On the side of a torn building in Abbeville, you will see faded brush strokes, hints of red paint, and the remnants of what is left of a 30-year-old mural.
The push to revitalize the city includes tearing down vacant buildings at the expense of property owners. The community artwork that encompasses the rich history of Vermilion Parish will soon be demolished.
Before that day comes, I had a chance to speak with Benny Graeff, one of the artists who worked on the mural.
“I gave it my best, we really wanted to, we were determined. This has to be done right and we want to do it,” he said.
Benny developed his love for painting at a young age. “My dad would come in every week, you know, and say ‘here’s some more supplies,’ don’t paint on the walls. I had done that before you know, you’re a kid," he said.
If the walls could talk, they would thank him for always choosing them as a canvas. Benny painted the mural in his early twenties along with other artists. Filled with enjoyment, Benny along with daughter admired his masterpiece.
“It’s sad to see some of his work go because it’s not the only mural that has been taken down due to needing to renovate buildings. So, it’s nice to enjoy the ones that are still there,” Benny’s daughter Leah Graeff said.
While he’s sad to see one of his paintings go, he’s grateful he had an opportunity to cherish his painting one last time.
“I got my camera here, I’m going to take some pictures of it. If someone said ‘can you come back and repaint it' I would go right back in the pool and get some 20-year-old people to come and (say) grandpa’s got you, let’s go,” he said.
