(Wichita Falls, TX) Today, the Wichita Falls 4B Sales Tax Corporation Board of Directors approved the installation and partial funding of a new mural on the Lindemann Building Parking Garage in Downtown Wichita Falls located at 7th and Indiana. The mural has been commissioned by the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture.
The mural design, created by local artists Jesse Baggett and Steve Hilton, depicts animals “hanging the moon.” The animals represent groups of people working together to achieve a common goal. The mural, which is expected to be fully installed by the end of 2021, will be created in partnership with art students from MSU Texas.
Margie Reese, Executive Director of the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture, said, “We are pleased to continue our strong partnership with the City of Wichita Falls in ensuring the arts are available and accessible to all residents of our city. This project will result in a signature work of art in downtown Wichita Falls, appealing to residents and visitors as a welcoming signal that our city is vibrant and open for business.”
In addition to support from 4B, this project has been funded by the National Endowment for the Arts with additional support from the Texas Commission on the Arts. Over the last four years, the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture has developed and supported the creation of a series of art projects that have stimulated public dialogue, created neighborhood identity, and promoted community vibrancy and cohesion. Past projects include “Don’t Fence Me In” in 2017, “The Wichita Dome” in 2018, and “The Eastside Mural Project” in 2019 which included 4 large murals in Wichita Falls.
For more information, please email Ann Arnold-Ogden at aogden@wichitafallsarts.org or visit www.wichitafallsarts.org.
About The Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture:
The Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture exists to strengthen and distinguish arts and culture in Wichita Falls; build enduring bonds among diverse communities; position the city as a regional center for arts activity; and to make the arts more accessible throughout our community.
About the Artists:
Jesse Baggett received her BFA with Teacher Certification from Midwestern State University in 2014, and high school art for four years. She specializes in ceramic sculpture, painting, and printmaking. In her imagery, Baggett uses local wildlife to reflect upon art history, various cultures, society, and relationships. Jesse was the winner of the first ever Art Battle of Wichita Falls.
Steve Hilton earned his MFA in Ceramics at Arizona State University in 2005. He also holds an MS in Art Education, and a BS in Geology from Missouri State University. His work has been placed into the permanent collections of museums, universities and individuals in the United States, Thailand, Australia, Austria, Portugal, China, Japan, Canada, Korea, Germany, Romania and Cuba. He has been juried into numerous international and national exhibitions in conjunction with curated solo shows in the United States. Steve currently is a full-time ceramics and art education faculty member at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX and serves on the board of The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) as the Steward of the Board. He was recently made a Fellow of NCECA.