Artists from Atlanta and Athens will paint murals on the wall at the Stuckey’s plant in Wrens.
Pash Lima and the team behind “Color the World Bright,” a collaborative project lead by Joseph Norman, Professor of Art at the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia, and Katie Brannen, Artist and Project Manager, were selected, according to a news release from Stuckey’s Corp.
“We were overwhelmed by the incredible creativity in the 47 applications submitted,” said Evans Hodges, Community Development Director at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce in the March 25 news release. “The outpouring of talent underscores the power of art to transform communities.”
Lima was chosen to paint a mural called “Pecan Pride,” celebrating the pecan as America’s native nut, with Georgia reigning supreme as the top producer. Meanwhile, “Road Trip Fun,” an ode to the spirit of the road trip and Georgia’s roadside wonders, will be spearheaded by the UGA team.
“Art is the lifeblood of community,” Stephanie Stuckey, Stuckey’s Corporation chair, said. “These murals will not only honor Stuckey’s legacy but also beckon travelers to experience Wrens. We are deeply grateful to our partners at Jefferson County for funding and supporting this project.”
Lima is an Atlanta-based artist who attended University of the Arts and Hussian School of Art, both in Philadelphia. His mural art has graced the walls of numerous buildings and businesses, including The Twelve Hotel in Atlanta and Clark Atlanta University. Lima was selected to paint a mural celebrating the pecan, including its history and cultural importance to our state.
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“As an artist, having the privilege of being chosen to do what you love in the service of good people and the community is an amazing feeling. I am honored to have the opportunity to capture the pecan’s essence in my art, weaving together its rich history and cultural significance,” Lima said.
“Color the World Bright” will be creating a road trip-inspired mural. The organization the inspiration of Norman in the early 2000s, with a goal to create a mural organization to fund UGA’s art students study abroad program in Italy.
CTWB provides on-the-job, quality instruction to a diverse pool of UGA students who represent its student body’s multicultural heritage, educating them in the art of painting, finance, public relations, and business management.
“We are thrilled to add Wrens to our growing portfolio of cities in Georgia whose walls we have graced with student-led murals, including Conyers, Commerce, Griffin and Bowman,” said Norman. “Our organization believes that through art you can change the lives of a community and change the lives of students. In so doing that, you can change the world.”
“UGA runs in our veins,” said R.G. Lamar, Jr., Stuckey’s CEO, whose mother earned an arts degree from the Lamar Dodd School. “From family legacies to shared values, our partnership with UGA fuels our commitment to community and creativity.”
Dates will be announced for the work to begin. The public will be invited to witness their creation as well as explore Wrens and Jefferson County, the news release said.
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