BY KADIE VICK
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — LaFayette Main Street is coloring the community with spirit through the addition of a mural downtown.
“The mural brings a sense of excitement. When people drive through and they see that public art, it makes them want to stop. It creates an increase in tourism in the city and downtown, because it is very fascinating to see such a large-scale artwork,” said the Executive Director of LaFayette Main Street, DeAnna Hand.
This mural is more than just a way to brighten downtown LaFayette; it represents the spirit of the LaFayette community and reflects its important history.
“Having a piece of public art creates livelihood and vibrancy, and it really encompasses all of the historic aspects of what a town means. It shows visitors what our culture is, what our values are and what we take pride in,” Hand said.
“I wanted to incorporate things in the Mural that fit Chambers County and that were important to LaFayette. I wanted to include our courthouse, which is very beautiful, as well as the famous boxer, Joe Lewis, who was born in Lafayette,” Hand said. “So those are pieces of the artwork that we all collaborated and decided on. Volunteers gathered together, and we went through different designs and wanted to make sure it represented our community well.”
This mural was a result of a proposal, written by Hand, that awarded a $3,000 grant to LaFayette Main Street. Hand hopes this is the first of many grants that will further the community’s outreach.
“I really am hoping that we can write some more grants and add more murals, and possibly become part of the mural trail throughout Alabama, and more people can come visit our town to see our public art,” she said.
Jim Frank, the artist who painted the cherished mural, said this project was meaningful because of the joy it brought to the community, and his experiences brightening locals’ days watching him paint.
“The greatest thing to me was how much the community loved it; that really meant so much to me,” Frank said. “A lot of the local officials were coming up while I was painting and just going on and on about how much they liked it. And I kind of kept painting towards the wall, but smiling, because it does make you feel good when people enjoy your work. So many people thanked me for it, which was really kind of unusual, and it just made me feel so good.”
“Jim spent many hours completing this project,” Hand said. “He worked on scaffolds at night, and I really want him to get the credit that he deserves. We commissioned him to complete it, but he was fantastic. I am so glad we got to see his talents and how he made our design come to life. I am very thankful for his work and what he did for Lafayette.” To help LaFayette Main Street continue to do its work to brighten the downtown, community members can volunteer and take part in community initiatives.
“We really urge community members to take part in our initiatives, become a member and serve as a volunteer to help promote and help LaFayette thrive.” Hand said.
The mural is located on the building at First Avenue SE.
