Article courtesy of Herald Banner

Hunt County Public Art is excited to announce a new large-scale art project coming to Greenville this year.

"The Sky's The Limit," a colorful mural by local artist Elisa Lane, will be installed on the L.P. Waters Early Childhood Center, which is located on Carver Street and can be seen from the busy Lee Street entrance to downtown Greenville.

The mural has a whimsical, child-friendly theme about reading and space exploration.

Derek Price, one of the art group's founders, said he was thrilled about the high-profile location for the project.

"I've long thought the western end of Lee Street needs a little help to leave a better impression for visitors who come to our downtown from the McKinney area," Price said. "Elisa's mural will add some much-needed color and development to that part of town that I hope can spur more revitalization efforts."

For members of the art group, the idea behind the project runs much deeper than a picture on a wall.

"We want to put original artwork in front of the kids who may not get to see it much in their everyday lives," Price said. "This may not be the biggest project we've ever tackled, but it's definitely one of the most important because of the impact it could have over time."

The L.P. Waters campus serves hundreds of pre-school-age students who could be inspired by the art, said Kim Coker, chairperson for the upcoming Hearts for the Arts Gala that raises money for the project.

"We think everyone should have the opportunity to see original artwork every single day," Coker said. "This project will provide that opportunity for thousands of children through the years. Even better, the students in 2018 will be able to watch the artwork being created in person, right in front of them."

The artist behind the project, Greenville resident Elisa Lane, had children in mind from the beginning.

"Little kids have the most active imaginations and can make things appear so real while playing pretend," she said.

For Sebastian Bozas, the principal at L.P. Waters who presented the art idea to Hunt County Public Art in the summer of 2017, the project has a twofold mission.

One is beautifying the western part of Lee Street, the first impression many visitors see when they arrive in Greenville on U.S. Highway 380.

"The thought that the first thing one sees coming into Greenville from the west is L.P. Waters should be the first hint that exciting things are happening in our town," Bozas said. "What a perfect place to have something really eye-catching. Visitors, passersby and potential future residents would begin their evaluation of Greenville and Greenville ISD with a smile on their face. How astute of Elisa to understand the potential of this project."

The principal also sees the artwork as a source of inspiration for his students and the city as a whole.

"As we walked around the school, I realized that I was speaking with a truly committed artist who wants to improve our community, contribute long-term to the arts and bring a smile to children’s faces each day as they arrive at school," Bozas said. "Her approach brought me not just both pride and excitement, but also a belief that great things are still happening in our country, our state and especially our Greenville community."

People who want to support the artwork installation at L.P. Waters can do so at the Hearts for the Arts Gala fund-raiser on Feb. 10 at the Emerald Ballroom in downtown Greenville.

Gala tickets are available for $50 at HuntCountyPublicArt.com, or $60 the day of the event. Tickets are also available at the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Landon Winery, Alliance Bank main branch in Greenville and the Magnuson Hotel in Commerce.

For more information, visit HuntCountyPublicArt.com or contact Byron Taylor at 903-456-5518 or Kim Coker at 903-450-5254.