Former Bentonville teacher paints the town
A former Bentonville Public School teacher spent recent months creating a bright, light-hearted mural in the Arts District, a burgeoning but roadwork-encumbered area of downtown Bentonville. Her work joins a growing collection of murals and other public art across northwest Arkansas.
Nicole Leonard, a K-4 art teacher of eight years, planned and painted in short sessions throughout the summer and fall as weather, a new baby and parking lot traffic permitted at Crepes Paulette Storefront, 100 S.W. Eighth St.
“While I was teaching school children how to create, I also pursued a graduate degree in art education,” says Leonard. “It was during those years that I realized the power of the arts to promote change, to magnify life, and to ultimately connect people together. This led to my interest in public art.”
The mural, which faces South Main Street, features bright, minimalistic colors and figures that stand out boldly even in the constricted space. With stylized depictions of children, adults and pets (even a pig) interacting, playing and enjoying life, the work reflects the fun-filled, bustling and community-oriented atmosphere now associated with Bentonville.
“I asked Nicole to start by thinking about the lines of people we used to get at our food truck before we opened the storefront,” says Paula Jo Chitty Henry, co-owner of the business. “Despite long waits, there was almost always a convivial, festive spirit when folks chose to stand in line. I wanted a whimsical take on that — something that would fit with our quirky and energetic style. I think Nicole achieved it perfectly.”
In a stroke of good timing, Leonard completed the 25-foot work just as the adjacent portion of the Eighth Street Expansion roadwork reached completion. The ongoing roadwork, which saw the unexpected closure of through traffic on Main Street (a vital corridor in downtown Bentonville) for an extended period of time, led to a vast reduction in traffic passing in front of the mural, but now the construction has moved to a different section of the road. Starting this week, motorists will be afforded a view of the finished product when using the newly-reopened street.
“It’s been so fun to watch it going up, “says Chitty Henry, “and what a cheerful addition to the transitioning area! It’s been so encouraging to see it emerging while we’ve been somewhat engulfed in the surrounding roadwork. And now that Main is open again, more people will get to see it.”
“I feel lucky to be on the happening end of the public art revival that seems to be seeping across Arkansas,” added Leonard. “I hope to be decorating the world around me for years to come.”