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MONROEVILLE 4-H: COMMUNITY ART NURTURES YOUNG TALENT
BY CAROLYN DRINKARD
It has been said that artists bring meaning to forgotten elements. That’s what 4-H art students in Monroe County did when they joined with Monroeville Main Street to beautify public spaces in the downtown area. They took a blank space on a shipping container and transformed it into a colorful point of interest, which tells the unique stories of 4-H and its impact on the children of Monroe County. The youngsters’ creation is now part of a mural trail for visitors to enjoy.
Becky Brooks, the 4-H Art leader, and 16 students worked for eight days with local artists, Katie Watson and Tee Stallworth, to produce a unique and colorful mural on the Small Box Shop, a business located on the Square in downtown Monroeville. After Becky and Alan Brooks created a design and projected it onto the wall of the container, the students painted the mural, which depicts several familiar 4-H projects like Chick Chain, RiverKids and Art.
In the mural project, 4-H students discovered that they could use colors and shapes to make others see things they had never seen before.
“It was amazing to see each of our parts come together to make a larger, even more beautiful creation,” said Mackenzie Peeples (14).
Being a part of creating something so special fostered a sense of ownership and pride among the young people.
"We wanted to provide a platform for our club members to express themselves creatively while contributing to the aesthetic appeal of our town," remarked Misty Powell, Monroe County 4-H Youth Development Coordinator. "This mural embodies the spirit of community engagement and artistic expression that we strive to cultivate in 4-H.”
“Our 4-H Art program has continued to grow over the past few years,” Powell added. “Our art club members are constantly trying new things and pushing themselves and their artistic abilities through individual and group projects.”
The mural project gave Monroe County 4-H'ers the opportunity to showcase their talents on a much larger scale, as Monroeville has become a literary hub, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
“I love to see people taking pictures of our mural,” stated River Hickson (7). “It makes me feel proud and happy.”
Powell emphasized the satisfaction youngsters felt in their work. “I feel like this is something that they and many others will get to see on a daily basis and know that they each had a special part in its completion,” Powell stated. “They can take pride in knowing that they were a part of not only promoting the 4-H program, but promoting everything our community has to offer and adding to its beauty in the process.”
