From left, Mark Thompson, Deonna Belcher, Keith Belcher and Herman Alexander paint murals across the front of both The Golden Bough Books and the Embellished Wedding bridal store Wednesday. The murals are part of an effort of the Macon League of Creative Interventionists and the Citizens for Public Art of Macon-Bibb to beautify Cotton Avenue, and to let people know businesses are open, during building repairs there. An exploding bus during filming of the sci fi flick The Fifth Wave damaged the shops and other parts of the block. Deonna Belcher said she convinced passers by to paint a bit as the day wore on, all in the pursuit of the larger goal of the art project. "Let's decorate it and let people know that Cotton Avenue is alive and kicking and that we're open for business," Belcher said.