Local artist Janae Erickson wins Niceville Mural Design Contest

VALPARAISO — At a recent Niceville City Council meeting, Amanda Grandy and Councilwoman Cathy Alley announced Janae Erickson as the Niceville mural design winner with an unveiling of the winning artwork.

Erickson has lived in Niceville since her father retired from the US Air Force in 1997. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2010 and brought her talents home to Niceville, where she works as the art director for Frances Roy Agency.

The Niceville City Council chose a design by Niceville artist Janae Erickson to represent the city. "The intention of this mural was to show off the history of our community while continuing to add to its landscape," Mural Project Coordinator Amanda Grandy said.
The Niceville City Council chose a design by Niceville artist Janae Erickson to represent the city. "The intention of this mural was to show off the history of our community while continuing to add to its landscape," Mural Project Coordinator Amanda Grandy said.

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Erickson and her husband, David, live in Niceville, where they are raising two sons.

"I am honored to have my artwork displayed in my hometown, and I owe a special thanks to Amanda Grandy for spearheading this project," Erickson said.

The mural design is a graphic representation of Niceville's history. Anchored by the name "Niceville" in bold yellow lettering, the design is surrounded by a water background with illustrations from left to right depicting a historical timeline. Starting with the 1868 establishment of mail service to Boggy Bayou, a graphic story unfolds, telling a tale of community and growth through the years.

"The intention of this mural was to show off the history of our community while continuing to add to its landscape. Trying to capture the spirit of Niceville, a concept which is clearly represented by the mural as the center focus of our town. Janae’s design does exactly this, the mural she created was perfection! It embodies many important historic details of Niceville and will be placed in the center of town for all to enjoy," Grandy, Mural Project Coordinator, said.

Future plans for the installation of the mural are to be announced.

Frances Roy Agency takes an all-encompassing approach to client customer service and complements it with a full-service offering of marketing support organized under four core services - Strategy, Design, Media, and Digital. For additional Frances Roy Agency information visit www.francesroy.com and follow Frances Roy Agency on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Niceville Mural Design Contest: Artist Janae Erickson wins