BEFORE:
In partnership with artist, Patrick McGee, the Byhalia Area Arts Council is in the process of designing a mural to beautify and highlight the history of Byhalia. The mural will be on the side of the Ruth B. French Public Library, overlooking the Byhalia park.
A message from the artist on his work creating murals:
“Trina and I are from northwest Ohio, where the landscape is flat and forever, much like eastern Arkansas. Replace endless cotton fields with endless corn, wheat and soybean fields, and you can visualize the land surrounding our small town of Swanton, OH.
In 2018 we found our way to the Mid-south and the wonderful town of Byhalia. The day we finalized the purchase of our house on East School Street, I texted my family our address and told them we live in Mississippi now. My brother texted back “you’re in jail, in Mississippi?” I thought he was just trying to be funny, until I saw the image of our house on Google Maps. The image isn’t of our house, it’s the big white building next to our house, the old HomeEc building. Apparently, that’s as far up the street as Google could make it. Not the most attractive building, we thought that we could correct that. We began making plans for a mural project shortly after.”
Additionally, The Byhalia Garden Club (BGC) will be planting a Weeping Cherry Tree close to the North West Corner of the same location. This tree planting will take place on Thursday, April 22nd at 2:00 pm in conjunction with Earth Day.
In the future, the BGC plans to add a bench under the tree with urns with flowers. Together, the BAAC and the BGC hope to add a little more color and beauty to Byhalia.