Lake has recently

been working on some indoor artwork for Emerald City, a new ice cream

store in Fayetteville with a "Wizard of Oz" theme that has been

emphasized by recent appearances from actors who portrayed Munchkins in

the classic 1939 film.

Originally

from Columbia, S.C., Lake has painted murals all over the country. Although

he has no formal training, his father was a painter, and his own talent

was apparent from a very early age.

"My mother

caught me drawing on the walls of my room when I was a little boy,"

he said.

Now at age

28 with a wife and a young son, Lake is amassing an impressive portfolio.

"I also paint on canvas and am trying to get together an arsenal

of paintings for a gallery show," he said.

Most of his

paintings are large due to his background in commercial art and sign painting.

"I'm really

inspired by the 'New Deal' artists of the 1930s," he said. "Artists

gave something to the community rather than having a painting in a collection

for monetary value. That's why I like what I do so much, because it's

for the entire community to enjoy."

Rich Hoffman

of Hoffman Tire agrees. "I had a big, blank wall and wanted to do

something everyone could enjoy," he said.

Price believes

that the murals around town are giving Fayetteville a distinctive look.

"I would

like to see that look continued," she said. "Should the appropriate

space become available, I would entertain a proposal by Shannon Lake.

His portfolio and his work speaks for itself."

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