America Connects Nature’s Adventure Mural Mosaic was unveiled last week at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex.
This is a public art installation created through a global collaboration of artists and visionaries. The mural, composed of more than 2,000 hand-painted tiles from individuals across the world, represents the beauty of connection, creativity and the spirit of nature.
One hundred tiles were painted locally by participants from Durant schools, the Donald W. Reynolds Library, the Senior Center, and Southeastern Oklahoma State University art students — making this mural not just a national treasure, but a truly community connected masterpiece, Durant Parks and Recreation said.
The City of Durant said it is honored to be one of a select few cities chosen to host this national artwork as part of Mural Mosaic’s Global Roots Project.
Ryan Brewer, Durant Parks and Recreation manager, spoke at the unveiling.
I thought we were a great opportunity to try to get it, see if it works out and it was a quick four months going from being approved to having the mural itself,” Brewer said. “I wasn’t actually expecting it to be that quick of a turnaround, but honestly, it couldn’t have come out any better.
“I want to thank everyone that participated. I know we have several people from out of state, Connecticut, Ohio. So, just actually seeing that they showed up to be a part of this unveiling is great and again, my guys. I couldn’t have done this without them doing all the work making this place look as good as it does.”
Lewis Lavoie is the designer and creator and also Mural Mosaic art director. He said it was “super exciting” to have a mural in Oklahoma.
“This mural is part of a series of murals that we’ve been doing,” Lavoie said. “We call it back to nature. One of the reasons why we take it back to nature is because to have a little bit of nature in a city or in a town or wherever, is just always something nice.
“Most of you guys that painted in this mural, we look at you guys as artists. A lot of people say, ‘I’m not an artist but here’s my painting.’ Now, when you do a painting, you’re an artist. I think that’s the way God made us. He made us creators and we create things and so art in public places is one of those things that hopefully, will be shared with the community for years and years to come. People come to this beautiful center, this is one more thing for them to look at, to enjoy in the park and bring their families and have kids play on the playground here and come over here and look at things.”
Lavoie said people who create paintings are trying to say something.
“We have over 2,000 people that painted in this mural,” he said. “There’s 2,000 voices in there that are trying to say something and I’ve done these murals all over the country and I find that what people are trying to say is very simple: It’s just beauty, it’s love, it’s connection, it’s family.”
According to Lavoie, the mural is just one of many the organization is doing and it is all about connecting.
“Each mural is connected to the last mural we did,” Lavoie said. “It’s a group of trees that connect together. What’s kind of interesting, the first nation people have this legend or a story about how we’re all connected through the roots of the trees and so all the trees connect together through roots.”
City manager Pam Polk said the mural is absolutely amazing and that one is needed in the downtown.
“It’s another one of those days that we just keep moving Durant forward and as we like to say, it’s a great day to be in Durant,” Polk said.
