A Northwest Arkansas artist is set to paint a wall mural in the heart of downtown Little Rock, with work on the painting starting as early as the end of the month.
The Downtown Little Rock Partnership, an economic development group, said Tuesday it recently trimmed a pool of 75 and selected Fayetteville artist Jason Jones, who plans to paint the 4,500-square-foot mural on the Union National Plaza building along West Capitol Avenue.
Jones’ previous work could be found in the 300 block of Main Street where the muralist worked on a small, temporary painting last year.
“It will be nice to create a large permanent mural that will add to the landmarks of downtown Little Rock, and to give back to the community that welcomed me with open arms,” Jones said in a statement.
The downtown partnership said it’s withholding plans for Jones’ mural, saying in a statement announcing the decision that “we want to keep the design a surprise.”
“We are very excited to add more public art to our city,” Gabe Holmstrom, the group’s executive director, said in a statement. “With a wonderful team of volunteers, a dedicated building owner, and an incredibly creative artist, we are improving the quality of living in downtown Little Rock.”
Organizers said the mural will likely be finished by the end of June.