Dewey mural completed

Driving north in Dewey Beach has recently gotten a little more pleasant.

Work on a three-story tall mural depicting a sunrise and sunset in Dewey was completed Sept. 18.

Lewes-based artist Andrew Dera spent about five days painting the two scenes on the southern wall of the Sea Esta Motel III on Route 1. The title of the mural is, “Dewey Beach – Sunrise to Sunset.”

Marilyn Seitz, Dewey marketing committee chair, said the idea is to highlight Dewey’s Atlantic Ocean sunrises, Rehoboth Bay sunsets and the fun in between.

Dera, who has done work at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, and Dewey’s Rusty Rudder and Nalu, said this was probably the biggest mural he’s ever painted. He said one of the things that makes the mural interesting is that drivers heading south on Route 1 can see the mural in the glass windows of the Hyatt Place across Dickinson Avenue.

Discussion of creating the mural began in October and town council approved the mural in May.

Seitz said the town paid no money towards the mural. She said the motel paid for most of the costs, with $1,000 coming from a charity golf tournament fundraiser put on by the Dewey Beach Lions Club and another $1,000 coming from a private donation.

It’s important for people to know the town didn’t give any money to a private business, Seitz said.