Out and About: Painting the Town with Murals

Pictured above is the Places and Faces Mural on South Court Square on the side of Vinylyte Record Shop.

By KATIE ANDERSON, Special to The Paper

“The public has a right to art. Art is for everybody.” – Artist Keith Haring

Downtown Newnan’s murals are the gifts that keep on giving. From enhancing the aesthetics, to showing our history, to reflecting our community identity, our murals are more than just gorgeous backdrops for an Instagram-worthy selfie (although that’s fun, too!) Cowetans are fortunate to have many municipal masterpieces to appreciate. Have you seen them all?

Places and Faces: South Court Square, Vinylyte Record Shop

In October 1998, Ans Steenmeijer was hired by the city of Newnan to paint the Places and Faces mural. Some of the pictures include Governors Arnall and Atkinson, Lewis Grizzard, Dunaway Gardens, Male Academy, and other historical images. 

Steenmeijer went to art school in Amsterdam and her father was a muralist. She was a fashion artist for many years. She switched to murals when she started to have vision problems, and ended up loving it. The Places and Faces mural took her five days, eight hours a day, to finish. (There is a wonderful video of her painting the mural on YouTube.)

Flowers: West Court Street, The Alamo

Molly Rose Freeman was the Newnan Coweta Artist in Residence in July 2016  who painted the flower mural. The design – a collaboration between Freeman, UWG representatives, members of the ArtRez board, and business owners – was chosen to mimic the shapes of the surrounding buildings. 

Freeman’s designs are inspired by the “vitality of nature.” She has painted over 50 murals, which can be found all over, from Mexico to San Francisco to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport. 

Musicians: Perry and Spring Street

Corey Barksdale was the Newnan Coweta Artist in Residence in October 2016, when he created the musicians’ mural. He has a B.F.A. from Atlanta College of Art, and his work can also be found on the Atlanta Beltline, in Decatur, and in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. 

Barksdale finds inspiration in African-American artistic heritage. He uses bold colors, influenced by the vibrant color combinations in African art.   

On public art, Barksdale says, “Because community public art often echoes the experiences of the surrounding people and culture, murals often encourage a stronger sense of community and solidarity.”

The Bubble Girl: West Broad Street, Atlanta Trek Newnan

Amber Stidham painted the mural of the “Bubble Girl,” who she named Lily, in October 2018. When she heard that the building’s owner was looking for a mural, the guidelines were to reflect happiness and Newnan scenery. 

Stidham wanted “to capture a childlike wonder and the way it felt to be young when anything was possible.” She has painted additional murals around town: at Junction Lanes, the swing mural at Ashley Park, as well as others in Peachtree City and Fayetteville. 

After twenty years of graphic design, she decided to work as an artist full time. She loves the connection the murals allow between artist and viewers. “Connecting with someone you will never meet through art is healing to me,” Stidham said.

Alan Jackson: North Court Square, Redneck Gourmet

Tim Davis, the Newnan Coweta Artist in Rez in October 2018, painted the mural of country music star and Newnan native Alan Jackson. Davis was Jackson’s choice of artist, based on his work on Nashville’s Legends Corner mural, depicting thirteen legendary country music artists (of which Jackson is one.)

Davis has painted over 350 murals in various cities. He is one of seven siblings, who all became artists. His main philosophy is, “it has to look real.” His thorough research and attention to detail help bring his subjects to life.