Through murals, show what NWA is all about

The mural movement in Northwest Arkansas appears to be part of an effort to attract tourists to our region. Mother Nature has given us powerful attractions — rivers, mountains, bluffs, wildlife of all kinds. So we easily entice floaters, hikers and birders, as well as bikers, motorized and otherwise, on- and off-road, with scenic highways and miles of trails. Recently, the promoters have begun to recognize our valuable human resources and to promote the arts. The many outstanding performance facilities for music, film and theater are both cause and result of this recognition. They provide another kind of attraction.

So now we have murals. I have wondered about the relevance of some of them to the environment and culture of the region. Occasionally the technical skill of the artist is enough for me to appreciate it, regardless of the subject. But when the mural is awash in bright pastels and acid green and pink, I think of Miami or Southern California. As far as I know, the jackrabbit is not indigenous to the Ozarks. A solar eclipse affects the whole world, but why does it belong at one of the iconic corners of the Fayetteville entertainment district?

I recognize that this is a tricky subject. The very last thing I would like to see is an outburst of hog art. We already have plenty of Razorback idols in bronze, plastic, acrylics and countless other media, exhibited everywhere from flagpoles to underwear. Since some people still call Fayetteville the Athens of the Ozarks, I salute the image of Athena, goddess of wisdom, on a wall next to the square. It makes a nice counterpoint to Old Main.

Since Arkansas was once called the Bear State, I am OK with bears on a window sill.

I have not seen the tunnel mural of the Tsa La Gi trail, but that seems to me to be more in keeping with showing tourists — and the rest of us — what Northwest Arkansas is all about. ETHEL SIMPSON

Fayetteville