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An artist in Seymour makes 3D plaster murals

It may look like stone or wood or brick, but his murals are made of plaster.

SEYMOUR, Tenn — When an artist wanted to sell his house a couple years ago, no real estate agent would list it unless he painted all the walls beige. But he refused to cover up the murals in his home. He put it on the market himself and sold it in two days for a substantial profit. 

Now he's transformed another house with what he calls 3D murals.

Outside, it looks like a typical house.

But when Donald McCorkle first stepped into his new wife's home he admired the beautiful interior. But the artist knew it could be something more. 

A bedroom ceiling became a cloudy sky and a plain breakfast nook became a cafe in Tuscany. The stucco walls and brick and wood beams looks real but they're plaster. 

Credit: WBIR
It looks like brick, stucco and wood but it is plaster

"I can make it look like wood. I can make it look like stone. I can make it look like marble, I can make it look like metal," he said. 

And he can make it look like tile in the ceiling of their foyer and stone with wood beams in the living room. All plaster.  

Credit: WBIR
The tile on the foyer ceiling is plaster

Move closer and you can see it's not flat. He calls his art 3D murals or plaster sculptures. 

"To look at it, feel it, touch it, you can't tell it's not stone unless you tap on it," he said. 

The focal point of the home is the fireplace in the gothic castle living room. 

Credit: Donald McCorkle
The 3D mural over the fireplace started with a sketch and took months to complete

"Some people like to hunt, some people like to play golf, some people like football. I love doing art work. And so when you find something you love to do and make really good money doing it then it's the best of both worlds," he said. 

Credit: WBIR
A 3D plaster mural covers one wall in the dining room

The murals take a long time to complete. The Gothic castle living room took three months of 12-hour days. 

He makes a sketch then builds out the plaster, sculpting as he goes. He layers plaster and tape then textures, primes, seals and paints it.  When he's finished he'll ask Carol what she thinks.

Credit: WBIR
His wife encouraged Donald McCorkle to add more detail to this castle

"How do you like that? Well, the castle is kind of bland. I mean, you've got all the petals on the flowers and the veins in the leaves and stuff but the castle just has smooth walls. You need to put shingles on the roof and stones on the walls and a door opening, You've got to be crazy woman do you realize how long that's going to take?  And as you can see, it's done," he said. 

Credit: WBIR
Donald and Carol McCorkle

His home is a personal showcase for his art but most of it is commissioned for high-end homes, hotels and other businesses.

Contact the artist at donaldemccorkle@gmail.com

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