Nettleton downtown to get community history mural

NETTLETON, MISS. (WCBI) – There will soon be a new attraction in the downtown area for one city in our region.

Tony Bullard will soon be spending a lot of time in Nettleton.

“Over the course of a few months,” said Bullard.

That’s how long it will take the Corinth based artist to paint a mural on the brick wall of the Dorothy J Lowe Memorial Library.

Bullard already has an idea for the mural, which he will paint, free hand. It will cover the entire brick wall with a 3 D effect.

“I want it to look like you can walk into the scenes.  My goal is to tell Nettleton’s story, we can only do so much, but want to have something that for years, people will be talking about it.”

Bullard is an award-winning artist, who has painted murals for other towns.

In fact, Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley saw the mural Bullard painted for Tishomingo and wanted a unique work of art for downtown Nettleton that will also serve as a history lesson.

“We have been able to preserve a lot of our history, but one of the big things that small things have a challenge with now is making sure their citizens understand, where they came from and notable events in our town’s history,” said Presley.

Presley is sponsoring the mural, along with the town of Nettleton.

He believes the project will create a lot of interest, especially when Bullard starts the work.

“Me, like everybody in Nettleton, are interested to drive by every day, to see, what is the new thing Tony has come up with, what’s new thing that will be on the mural,” said Presley.

Bullard is keeping tight-lipped about the features of the mural, but he does say it will have a train scene.

Work on the mural should be complete by the end of summer.

Many towns across Northeast Mississippi have commissioned artists to paint artistic and historic murals on buildings, and also on other structures, like storm shelters.