Greg Carr, known to his community as Tall Greg, recently completed a painting that pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of regional grocery chain Earth Fare. The commissioned painting, soon to be displayed in the flagship store in Asheville, celebrates the brand’s legacy of wellness, sustainability and community connection. For Tall Greg, this project also provided a significant personal and professional boost, especially after the devastation of losing his belongings in Hurricane Helene.
Greg Carr, artist
“I have been wanting to partner with a food and beverage brand for a while to create a painting that tells the story of their company,” Carr says. “Earth Fare reached out to me to vend at their 50th anniversary market, and I pitched the idea of creating a painting telling the story of their company history through their most iconic products. They loved the idea.”
The painting’s inspiration was rooted in a desire to connect with the community and evoke nostalgia. “The goal was to create a painting that community members would relate to,” Carr says. “I wanted to include products that were iconic of Earth Fare that could bring up some feelings of nostalgia towards the store and tell its history.”
The creative process was intense yet rewarding. Carr met up with the Earth Fare team and identified important products, then set those up as a still life in his studio. “My painting process is called alla prima, which means wet into wet,” he says. “I paint from life, from observation. It took about three weeks to paint.”
The project proved especially meaningful to Carr as it offered a lifeline in his recovery. “I am a full-time artist in the River Arts District, and it was a very slow winter,” he says. “This painting provided much needed work that was a lifeline for me to keep moving forward. It also gave me a huge sense of confidence to propose partnerships with local companies. It really reminded me of the power that artwork has to bring people together and create everlasting symbols of community.”
This work is not just another commission for Carr—it represents a major artistic achievement. “This is the biggest and most complex still life that I have ever painted,” he says. “I loved how many unique objects there are that really move the viewer’s eyes around. I use Blue Ridge oil colors, a local brand of paint. And they had a life-size store display wheel of cheese that they let me borrow. That was pretty cool!”
In the end, Tall Greg hopes his painting brings joy to those who view it. “I hope it makes people smile to see their favorite products in this fine art composition,” he says. “I think the juxtaposition of a traditional painting approach with contemporary store items will bring back feelings of nostalgia. I always hope my work can bring back warm memories for people.”
Earth Fare’s flagship store is located at 66 Westgate Parkway, Asheville. Learn more about the artist at Tall-Greg.com.
