Pearls before Swine Collage

Internationally known artist, Brenda Mauney Councill currently specializes in large-scale murals, particularly domed ceilings, tackling projects that often put her high in the world of art. She recently completed The Largest Contemporary Painted Dome in the Southeast. Councill has been doing such large-scale projects for the past 15 years, the latest phase in her 35 year, award-winning career. Her projects span the globe and can extend for months with large-scale ceiling and wall murals in private homes and landmark buildings. Martha Stewart visited the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building’s ceiling dome and climbed the 100 feet of scaffolding to meet the artist, and exclaimed, “ Councill is Michelle-angelo! ”. Ms. Councill’s work recently appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show after the media titan visited North Carolina. Her popularity among collectors and the public’s interest has been the focus of a PBS/UNC-TV segment on the artist. FOX, CBS and NBC affiliates have all run footage on Councill’s painted ceilings and other public work projects. Educational projects awarded to Councill include massive murals, “The Quest for Knowledge” in the new Belk Library on the campus of Appalachian State University in North Carolina. Her newest monumental ceiling mural, “The Language of Symbols” commission, on campus, includes bas-relief embossed copper elements combined with trompe l’oeil crowning the grand foyer of the College of Education Building. Another signature ceiling mural on the subject of Biology, “The Spiral of Life” can be seen in the Belk Atrium of Presbyterian College in South Carolina. Hickory Museum of Art featured a retrospective of her monumental murals in 2012. She was selected and awarded the commission to paint a symbolic wall by the prestigious International Institute of Technology, Bombay, India. . The Percent for Art Public Art Program selected Councill to design the largest Gateway Mural in The City of Roanoke, VA. A life-size bronze sculpture of American Impressionist, Elliott Daingerfield was recently completed and Dr. Lawrence Wheeler, CEO and Director of the North Carolina Museum of Art, dedicated this sculpture. Dr. Wheeler compared her work to the great female sculptor, Harriet Hosmer. Brenda grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and her career was launched in 1963 at the age of 7 with her debut exhibition of paintings at the Jacksonville Museum of Arts and Sciences.