Murals Appear Across Starkville

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A canvas is the traditional playground for an artist to create a masterpiece, but recently artists in the area have been trying their brushes on brick and mortar.

“Murals are sweeping the country,” said artist, Deborah Mansfield. “If you visit any city right now, you’ll notice that there are people painting murals all over the town.”

So Starkville thought they’d look into giving some of their walls a makeover.

It all started with the basketball mural on the side of restaurant Tyler and now murals are starting to be a common site across the city.

The latest addition, the welcome to fabulous StarkVegas sign.

“We selected the Mill, Bin 612, Bulldog of course, Mississippi State stadium, and the chapel,” said Mansfield, describing her latest work.

Mansfield has painted 14 murals in West Point and was contacted to bring her talents to Starkville, and she enjoys the difference her work brings.

“They add a lot of personality,” said Mansfield. “They can bring out the history of a building or the history of the people that live in the town. They add whimsy and fun and just a spot of color to an otherwise drab wall.”

Putting an image this size takes specific planning, Mansfield has free-handed some, but this one took careful planning.

“I use the grid method. When I came up with the sketch and it was approved by the client, I then make it out of a scale, put a grid on it, and then replicate that grid onto the wall and it’s kind of like connect the dots,” said Mansfield.

And residents seem to be finding uses for these murals other than just looking at them.

“A backdrop for people to take their photographs,” said Mansfield.

These murals like the StarkVegas sign can take hundreds, yes hundreds, of hours to complete, but it’s no comparison to the hours of photos, memories, and admiration these murals will have once they’re completed.

Categories: Local News

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