Wiley’s colorful and vibrant work was well known throughout the High Country, from murals on buildings to decorated store fronts, and especially in his painted signs, done in the traditional limner fashion for established businesses like Dancing Moon and Our Daily Bread in downtown Boone.

Digging into Wiley’s personal art, however, uncovers an interesting divergence of styles — casual, of the times, but also meticulously rendered and with an intellectual bent.

“Blake dealt with difficulties in his life, he struggled, but in the last couple of months especially, he had a theme going about finding the ‘heart of gold’ in people,” said another friend, Lucas Johnson.

Learn more about Blake Wiley.