SEARCY — Murals, sculptures, book-share houses and creative landscapes are just a few of the things set to pop up soon around Searcy.
The Think ART Project, directed by Mat Faulkner of Think Idea Studio, has about 19 projects in the works.
Faulkner said the project’s aims are to increase tourism, encourage relocation and improve quality of life through the power of art.
“It is the organized effort of enhancing both public and private spaces by providing assistance in logistics, collaboration and promotion between municipal, county, corporate, private and artisan resources,” he said.
One goal of the project is to “rehab eyesore areas into intriguing aesthetic features,” Faulkner said, which will include adding murals, water features, light features, creative landscapes and sculptures on public and private spaces.
Other goals include showcasing events and exhibits, as well as partnering with K-12 and higher-education art departments in town, he said.
“We have posted a request for proposals for a mural to be located at Quattlebaum Music and a graffiti mural for the Searcy Skatepark,” Faulkner said. “We are also working with local schools to partner artists and students to paint murals on the outdoor basketball courts of the Searcy Event Center, sponsored by Unity Health.
“With the Think ART Project being so new, we wanted to ease into it with a simple project that can engage students with local artists. The Searcy Event Center basketball courts are perfect for this type of project. It is a current rehab project with the courts in a deteriorated state. Our hope is to not only give the students a community project to be involved with, but also encourage more use of the basketball courts as a healthy option for activity.”
Faulkner said Diane Barrett, superintendent of the Searcy Public Schools, embraced the concept.
Each school will work together with local artists to create design concepts for their assigned courts, she said.
“There are five courts available, so each school will be assigned a court. The artists will take ideas from the students and create a design. The students will then help paint the design on the courts. When complete, a plaque will be made to indicate the school, artist, sponsor and a brief description behind the concept of the art. Unity Health is sponsoring the project to help cover the costs of materials and has challenged artists to have each design include a concept that is health-centered physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually,” she said.
Barrett said the project will add appeal to the community while simultaneously getting individuals involved in improving it.
“As with our downtown-beautification effort, this project will show residents and visitors alike that we take great pride in our community,” she said.
Faulkner said Yarnell’s Ice Cream is sponsoring a mural on the White County Title building in downtown Searcy.
While these will be the first projects completed, he said, a long list of projects will follow.
Faulkner said book-share houses will be installed around Searcy for community members to take, leave and donate books to one another.
“I reached out to Mike Parsons with [Searcy] Parks and Recreation about the possibility of installing book-share houses around town. Mike loved the concept and gave us a green light to ask the community to participate by building and donating them to Parks and Recreation,” Faulkner said. “Depending on how many we get, we will place one or more at the city parks, and if we have enough, we will make them available for additional locations throughout the community.”
Book-share houses are popular in many communities, he said, and a few already exist around Searcy.
“We hope to organize and promote them so there is more engagement and participation. They are a fun way to share with others and promote literacy and community involvement,” he said.
Jason White, artist and project participant, said he has been involved with murals and graffiti art for more than 20 years.
He never pursued art as a career, he said, out of personal fear of failure or ridicule.
“These projects have really helped build my confidence, and I have chosen to be involved because I know there are many, many, many creative people who aren’t sharing their talent because they are scared, just as I was. The Think ART Project allows me a public platform to reach out to and encourage other artists to start putting their work out there,” he said.
“I want to have a positive influence on local artists and encourage them to push past the fear to achieve their full potential, while also creating a revenue/tourism draw to the city of Searcy. Our Main Street Searcy initiative, coupled with community events such as Beats and Eats, creates so much good in our town. I think the public art will be one more piece to brighten our city and encourage folks to visit time and time again,” White said.
Art is an expressive form of communication, Faulkner said, that conveys information while evoking feelings.
“It is important to reflect our history, ideals and dreams through art,” he said.
For more information on the Think ART Project, contact Mat Faulkner at (501) 268-1771.