Gourmet Kingdom murals "Lion and Dragon Dance"

Davis Davis is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

I think i should start by sharing the story of how this project came to be... I have wanted to paint murals on this building for nearly a decade. Whenever I would ask the owners if they would like this done they would say, "Yes, but sadly this isn't a good time." I assured them that it would only increase business for them and they could even pay me later if they wanted, but the answer was the same. The last time I went in to ask a few months ago, business seemed unusually slow. I offered to do one mural for just the cost of paint and still, it wasn't a possibility. Then I got an idea; I remembered that I was asked to do a zodiac mural in Burlington a few years back that was community funded. I said, "I got you, I know what we are going to do. We are going to crowdsource some money for this and make it happen." So I contacted the beautiful person who put that project together and that brings us to the present. I walked into the restaurant on a Sunday night and it was packed! carry out orders were covering the counter, on a Sunday! I was actually moved to tears to see the restaurant so busy!

This is a three-way win; it will increase business for the restaurant, the entire community gets to enjoy these murals and try unique dishes, and I get to paint! thank you to everyone who has supported this project and this phenomenal restaurant.

This project is already going SO well! I’m blown away by the number of people who see the value in public art and supporting local small businesses! The sense of community is the very thing that sets Carrboro apart from other towns.

I have been posting daily updates in my Instagram story @nonperishable. I love the challenges and problem-solving of each stage. It is extremely gratifying to watch this mural unfold. I would like to thank everyone for their generosity thus far, equally importantly for sharing this info and mostly for dining at this unique establishment. Thank you for being a part of this project! My hope is that this will increase business for Gourmet Kingdom.

Here is the plan; We are seeking to create 3 colorful and inspiring murals in the town of Carrboro on the walls of the authentic Szechuan restaurant Gourmet Kingdom! But we need your help! We are looking for people who are just as inspired by art, food, and community and can donate any amount, even $10 donations will add up. it's supposed to be low impact on everyone. Help us by sharing this with your friends and family. And, if you’re able to donate - please support the arts and local small businesses! We have increased our goal to $4k because there was a TON of wall repair and preparation that needed to be done which set the process back a week or more. if we were to hire a painting company to do these repairs it would cost several thousand dollars. we are nearly halfway to completion and it definitely looks like we will run low on funding by the end. there will not be any profit from this. It’ll be completed either way. The goal amount is still about 1/3 of the normal cost for a project of this size ($3-4k pr wall). The above goal is the minimum required to complete the project. After completing this side, I will be funding the other side of the building myself after doing a quick side project.

(quick concept mock-ups. the final design will cover three walls and will include lanterns, fireworks and ornamental designs.)

"Authentic Szechwan fare is indeed as rare in these parts as a precious jewel.”

-Greg Cox, The News & Observer

Davis (insta@Nonperishable) is a traveling artist and muralist who called Carrboro home for over a decade. Initially drawn to the Gourmet Kingdom because of its authentic flair and love present in every dish, Davis wanted to honor the restaurant's Szechwan roots with a grand mural.

“Whenever I eat here, I order off the specials menu or chef’s choice for an adventurous dining experience and am completely blown away every time. I’ve always wanted to paint this building. My hope is that these murals will bring in business for the restaurant and make the building more visible.” (I’d recommend ordering off the main menu as opposed to the lunch specials which are still good)

While this area of Carrboro receives an influx of folks from all over heading to shows at Cat's Cradle, Davis noticed that the Gourmet Kingdom building often gets overlooked especially since the pandemic.

The building itself has a lot of potential architecturally from arched windows and expansive walls. After reaching out to the owners of Gourmet Kingdom about installing a public art piece inspired by the Dragon Dance, Davis is ready to start painting. However, we need to raise $ for paint, supplies, labor and mostly travel. The murals will take between 30-60 days to complete.

Public art adds so much value to the cultural, aesthetic and economic vitality of a community. The town of Carrboro is no stranger to this - creating a community that thrives on art, music, and connection. Our goal is to raise $4k in total which will support the installation of murals to wrap the building.

Davis has been a full-time artist for about 18 years and has completed several murals in major cities across the country. But he is most excited about working in his hometown - you have probably seen one of his murals and didn’t even know it!