RC&D Council Helps Sponsor Art Mural Project in Colbert County

By Heath King, Program Assistant, Northwest Alabama RC&D, Tuscumbia, Alabama
 

You've all heard the old saying "A picture is worth a thousand words," but what if a thousand words doesn’t even begin to describe that picture?

Such is the case with the educational murals that were painted on the side wall of the Colbert County Board of Education (BOE) building through funding provided by Northwest Alabama RC&D and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES).

The staff at Northwest Alabama RC&D were all too familiar with the peeling eyesore that was the west wall of the BOE building because our office is located in the same building. We decided to take action and help turn the drab wall into a beautiful work of art that the whole community, and even tourists, can enjoy.

After meeting with art teachers from three county high schools, it was decided that a young, talented, fresh out of college artist named Anna Richey, and a handful of high school art students, could make the vision a reality. Thus the Colbert County Art Mural project was born.

The RC&D staff strongly believed that the murals should display the rich history of Colbert County and some of the cultural icons associated with the area.

In an effort to also provide a hands-on learning experience for the local high school students, RC&D provided each of the three schools specific themes on which to focus their particular designs.  These themes heavily influenced the flavor of the area such as agriculture, music, Helen Keller, the Tennessee River, Native Americans, and the Coon Dog Cemetery.

A review panel, made up of members from the Northwest Alabama RC&D, ACES, Colbert County Tourism, and a local historian, was formed to get a pulse on the views of the community. When the schools turned in their designs, the review panel was overwhelmed by the beauty and poignancy of their work.

With the guidance of Anna Richey, each school brilliantly brought their design to life on the unusual canvas of the BOE building. Anna then added the final touch by completing a fourth mural which welcomes visitors to Colbert County. The murals have created a media buzz and have been recognized by local papers as well as two regional television stations.

Recently, the murals were featured during an event to promote National Tourism Week. This event showcased the spirit of cooperation, partnership, and community pride needed to complete such an important community project.

The Northwest Alabama RC&D Council is confident that these murals will encourage the creation of additional educational murals in the region. But most importantly, the project has fostered pride among students and the community as a whole, and has sparked a fresh interest in the history of this great county.

August 2009

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