Don't Mess with Texas mural set for unveiling
Mar. 7—Palestine's newest mural at Reagan Park is set to be unveiled to the public at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21. Representatives with the Don't Mess with Texas Campaign are scheduled to be onsite, along with other officials from the Governor's Office to take part in the unveiling.
"This project has been a year in the making," said Palestine Tourism Marketing Manager Mary Raum. "Each Spring, Visit Palestine attends the Texas Travel Expo sponsored by the TxDOT Travel Information Division. During the event we met withTxDOT Travel Information Director Joan Henderson who told us about a mural program they were launching through the Don't Mess with Texas campaign."
After working through the appropriate channels, which took about 6 to 8 months, Visit Palestine was finally able to land one of the coveted murals.
"Visit Palestine went through our standard Mural Program RFP process and Deana Frye submitted three designs to be reviewed and considered by TxDOT and the Tourism Advisory Board," Raum said. "Once approved, Deanna went to work and has truly made the northeast corner of Reagan Park a must stop destination."
East Texas artist Deanna Frye has several works of art on public display in Palestine and abroad. Frye earned her Master of Arts in Art Education degree from the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester. She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Drawing from the University of North Texas, Denton and an Associate of Arts degree in Art from Tyler Junior College. Besides being an amazing artist, she is also a professor in the Art History department at Trinity Valley Community College.
"Since the mural is in part sponsored by TxDOT, 'Don't Mess With Texas,' I included their logo and the words 'keep Texas clean,'" Frye said. "The design itself is inspired by my love of Texas wildflowers and Monarchs. I wish our highways, roads and neighborhoods were filled with native flowers and wildlife instead of trash! I want people to be inspired to have pride in their state by keeping it clean."
Besides wildflowers, Frye also included another of her favorite things in the form of butterflies.
"Most people who know me know I love to garden and save Monarchs as they pass though on their migration," Frye said. "I've limited my use of pesticides/herbicides and plant milkweed for them in my yard. I also paint flowers in my studio and Texas wildflowers are often my subject. I thought 'what better to paint?' Two things I love! And I felt like the subject went well with the theme."
The mural makes a stunning visual impact along Crockett Road at Reagan Park, transforming a once nondescript building into an inspiring work of art.
"We originally planned to paint it on the large wall at the new fitness court, but we shifted it down to a more visible location, closer to the sightline of traffic passing by," Raum said. "Other murals that have been completed have been in large destinations like Houston and Dallas. We are the smallest community to go after this and have it awarded!"
Follow Deanna Frye ART on Facebook or visit www.deannapickettfrye.com.
Visit Palestine is on Facebook and www.visitpalestine.com.
