PERU - Peru Mall has selected Mary Lutes as the winner of its Angel Wings mural art contest.

Lutes completed her Angel Wings painting in an 8 by 8-foot section last week. Her angel wings mural will be visible on the wall indefinitely and various other art pieces by Lutes will be displayed next to Finish Line until Oct. 26.

“With this contest, our team hoped to connect with the local community as well as the art community,” said Phillip Hileman, general manager at Peru Mall. “We aim to provide positive exposure for Mary by displaying her artwork and further generate an interest in the arts.”

The retail center launched a social media contest that will run until Oct. 24 as part of this initiative. The person whose photo in front of the wings receives the most likes on social media as of that date will win a $50 gift card to any store at the mall.

In order for local artists to participate in the campaign, they were required to submit a full-color rendering of a set of angel wings with the intended media type listed. Lutes’ work will be featured on social media platforms, including the mall’s website.

“My favorite type of art is abstract art because as an artist I feel you can freely express yourself,” said Lutes. “My biggest inspiration is Jackson Pollock.”

Lutes, who has been an artist most of her life, loves to paint and create things. Her dream project is to paint a mural on the outside of a large building.

Peru Mall by GK Development Inc. features an assortment of retail, service and dining establishments. The 460,678-square-foot mall currently houses more than 35 retailers including Marshalls, AMC Classic Theatre and Jo-Ann Fabrics.

About GK Development, Inc.

GK Development, Inc. is a commercial real estate firm based in Barrington, Ill. that acquires, develops, owns and operates a diversified portfolio of commercial and retail property across the U.S.

Mary Lutes mural at the Peru Mall