University of Tennessee mural project nears halfway point. It's spreading Volunteer pride

Drive across Tennessee enough and you realize the University of Tennessee System reaches every corner of the state. It's why the "Everywhere You Look, UT" mural campaign has struck a chord.

Launched in 2018, the campaign aims to paint at least one mural in all 95 counties in Tennessee. The campaign is nearing the halfway point and is on track to be completed by 2030.

The newest murals include one in Knox County located along Andrew Johnson Highway near Strawberry Plains. The barn proudly displays the mural, which owner Steve Nash said reminds the 9,000 drivers on the highway each day of UT's presence in the state.

"There's been so many people that have just literally stopped on the highway and get out and take a picture, and I obviously only see the ones when I'm near the barn," Nash said. "They throw up their hand and they wave and they point and they give thumbs up."

Putting the University of Tennessee proudly on display

Nash has always been a supporter of UT.

He attended the flagship Knoxville campus starting in the summer of 1973 just three days after graduating high school. He graduated from UT with a business degree and worked in steel for 46 years.

He purchased the 70-year-old barn just over 50 years ago after driving by it. He's owned the barn ever since, with his job allowing him to maintain the land without having to rely on it.

"I wanted the farm to always be my go-to place. It's 100 acres," Nash said. "I can't say that I'm a farmer by any means. I'm more a steward of the land."

He's been able to use the resources UT provides to the area like the UT Institute of Agriculture’s Extension agents and the UT Veterinary Medical Center for his animals.

Nash was talking with a friend of his about getting the barn painted when he heard about the mural campaign. Jumping on it, he made several calls to get involved any way he could.

"Immediately the next day, I started firing emails, making phone calls and got ahold of the chancellor's office and they sent me to (UT Executive Director of Marketing Ellie Dougherty), and since then she and I have just put the project together," Nash said. "It's been pretty seamless. The sheer professionalism of the gentleman that did the lettering to dealing with UT, it's been - as always - very professional."

Since the mural was completed, the response has been positive, with people stopping to take photos and locals complimenting his barn. Similarly, Nash's Bluetick Coonhound named Knox gets people excited as a symbol of UT.

"It's not like he's just a dog. He's a representation of the university, and people see that immediately when they see him," Nash said. "I can't go in Home Depot and not have three to six people coming up to us, and I think the same thing is happening with the barn. It's a family tie in a sense."

Who paints the University of Tennessee murals?

Armed with paint matching Tennessee Orange and Smoky Mountain Gray, Troy Freeman has traveled from county to county on the "Everywhere You Look, UT" campaign. He and another artist, Curtis Glover, have painted every mural so far. Freeman painted the one in Strawberry Plains.

Based in Illinois. Freeman has worked on city murals and a nationwide campaign for Certified Angus Beef. He also founded Free Sky Studios. Before the UT campaign, he didn't have any ties to the university. But now the Volunteer spirit is a part of him.

"Right now, I've got my UT orange shoes on and my UT orange hats and everything. It's a part of who I am," Freeman said. "Even though I'm from Illinois, I'm not really a huge Illini fan, so this is kind of nice to be able to be in Tennessee."

During the campaign, Freeman travels from county to county to paint while stopping in diners, getting to know the locals and fishing in Tennessee waters. He kayaked and fished on his last day in Knox County, when Nash took him to the river.

"I did get to take the day off and go kayaking and fishing on the Holston, which is good because I've always wanted to fish the Holston and that was the first chance I had," Freeman said. "It was just another beautiful fall day where it was just cool and the stream was just perfect. It was just lovely."

Freeman has been involved since the campaign began, with the goal of painting about 10 murals a year. Forty-nine murals have been completed as of Nov. 20.

Freeman is done for the holidays as he spends time with his family and does some window work where he lives. But he's excited to continue painting for this campaign.

"Even though the city murals that I do are more creative and iconic to the community, there's just as much pride that comes from me painting these from UT alumni and cities and towns as I do when I'm painting like a city mural. It's just wild," Freeman said.

Keenan Thomas is a higher education reporter. Email keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @specialk2real.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: University of Tennessee Everywhere you look UT murals near halfway mark