'Reflection' - Boiling Springs unveils town mural mosaic

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent

The town of Boiling Springs Mural is composed of 2,000 tiles each printed from hand painted tiles by individuals to create the mural mosaic called "Reflection"

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Boiling Springs unveiled their mural mosaic "Reflection" on Wednesday, June 3, at 11 a.m. to a large crowd of town residents, Boiling Springs Town Council members and other local leaders and elected officials from across Cleveland County. People all the way from Canada and Pennsylvania were also in attendance.

Tracy Holland and Mayor Tommy Greene stand in front of the mosaic mural before its unveiling on Wednesday.

Tracy Holland, Town Clerk spoke first, “This project has been near and dear to Mayor Tommy Green’s heart and mine. Thank you so much for your support for our community coming together. Boiling Springs is just built on heart and y’all have really stepped up and shown that you care about the community and you want to continue to give.”

Mayor Greene spoke next, remarking on his excitement for the day and how the project came about. He noted he saw an article about it in a magazine and then saw something on social media about it.

“I think this is something the town of Boiling Springs can really get behind and show support for the community,” Greene said to the crowd who gathered out front of town hall.

Town of Boiling springs Manager Zachary Parker points to where the mural will possibly be placed on the brick wall of the new courtyard once the construction is completed this year. | Chuck Thompson

He commended town staff and the council and the community for their dedicated work and support of the mural project.

“Maybe sometime in the future we’ll find a place for another one,” Greene added.

The mural is scheduled to be placed where the town currently is working on building a courtyard located between the buildings where The Snack Shop is located and Sweet Eats Bakery. The courtyard construction began recently, and is expected to be completed by October 2026.

As the blue tarp was removed from the mural, the crowd cheered and clapped in approval as 2,000 individual painted tiles painted by people of the Boiling Springs Community, and some from across the country, were used to create a serene mural mosaic of a nature scene of a tree and water with a hiker by the tree.

Town Council member Ron Wood, center front in red, stands with those in attendance waiting for the mural to be unveiled on Wednesday in Boiling Springs.

County Commissioners Tony Berry and Doug Bridges were in attendance, along with Wayne King, who won the Republican Primary for county commissioner followed by Bridges.

“First of all, I thank Mayor Green for his vision to make sure our history is long-standing and that we’re better together," King said. "I think this mural shows that we are in fact better together and this collaborative effort between the community and the local government to make this happen."

Cleveland County Commissioner Berry added, “I would also say thanks to the mayor for his help and participation for bringing this together. This is a very uplifting event to see Boiling Springs come together. This town has always been near to my heart; it’s just a great town where everyone gets along tougher and as Wayne (King) said the more we can do of that, throughout the entire county, the better we’ll be – and it’s a beautiful mural.”

Boiling Springs Town Council Member Justin Davis spoke to The Independent, adding his thoughts, “Every tile tells a story, and together they tell the story of Boiling Springs. It was great to see so many people take part in this project,” Davis said. “Seeing the finished mural shows what can happen when a community comes together, and it is something our town can be proud of for years to come.”

From left, Wayne King, Commissioner Berry and Sheriff Alan Norman. | Chuck Thompson

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman attended the mural unveiling and spoke of unity.

“It’s another thread in the Cleveland County area that pulls us all together,” noted Sheriff Norman. “We have people here today from all across Cleveland County and some from other states and also Canada; and it just shows this is a great place to live and raise a family.”

County Commissioner Doug Bridges stated, “It’s wonderful that all the municipalities in the county get along so well and this just shows a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s great we can all work together toward common goals.”

The unveiling of the Boiling Springs Mural included bottled water and cookies for those in attendance.

From left, Wayne King, B.S.P.D. Chief Brian DiYorio, and CC Commissioners Tony Berry and Doug Bridges at the mosaic mural unveiling in Boiling Springs. | Chuck Thompson

Boiling Springs will hold a special town hall meeting regarding their insurance policy (unrelated to the mural) on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, where they will vote on whether to continue with their current company or choose a different insurance carrier.  

Follow The Shelby Independent on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. To contact Chuck about a story idea, send an email or visit the contact page.

Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent. 

The Shelby Independent.