Making of a Mural

Local artists come together to create a cohesive art experience for 2024 Best of the Emerald Coast event

One resin artist, two mixed media sculptors, and three painters teamed up in fall 2024 to bring Emerald Coast Magazine’s Love EC signature hashtag to life. 

The result—a one-of-a-kind mural fit for the best night of the year. 

“The colorful, vibrant Love EC art mural added energy and excitement, incited curiosity, and was, if nothing else, a head-turning conversation starter,” says Zandra Wolfgram, marketing director for Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF). 

Wolfgram says it’s not only important to incorporate art into community events, its crucial to the experience.

“Art allows us to elevate our sensibilities and transcend our differences,” Wolfgram says. “Art makes everything better … and it makes us better.”

The Love EC mural, designed and donated by six local artists, was displayed at the 2024 Best of the Emerald Coast event as a centerpiece and photo backdrop. The mural was part of the event’s effort to benefit MKAF’s arts initiatives.

Wolfgram helped coordinate the mural alongside Emerald Coast Magazine publisher McKenzie Burleigh and Santa Rosa Beach artist and Mattie Kelly board member Maxine Orange. 

“I was part of the mural last year,” says Orange. “So, I knew how that process worked for us previously, and I wanted it to be a little bit different.”

For the 2024 mural, Orange enlisted five fellow artists: Bradley Copeland, Brendan Parker, Wes Hinds, and husband-and-wife duo Vivian and Tony Zack. A five-panel structure was crafted and donated by sponsor Luke & Blue’s. Each artist was given a materials stipend and paint, donated by sponsor Sherwin Williams. 

“We thought everybody needed to at least have a dedicated panel,” Orange says. “And then we would overflow into each other’s a little bit where we could.”

The group began their work in September, a month ahead of the event, out of Parker’s Sandestin studio. There, Parker established the main background across the five panels. Tony joined in the backdrop pouring, assisting,
and collaborating. 

“It’s fun when you’re working with somebody else because your styles are so different,” Tony says. “Just having that atmosphere and working together like that, it was fantastic.”

Parker set the color scheme, and Orange created a complementing palette. From there, the other five artists added their individual styles. 

“A lot of us worked in shifts,” says Copeland. “We would come and there was just something else. Like it was different every time we came, and we worked with it. So that was fun.”

Orange and Copeland often worked simultaneously, expanding collaboration whenever possible.

“Ours just flowed really nicely together,” Orange says. “I kind of was leading the way with my disco ball girl.”

“I was using Brendan’s and Tony’s marks from the pour,” Copeland says. “There were marbled textures and shapes. I was just following the lines and coloring in spots in the patterns.”

Those free-flowing patterns became meandering mushroom swirls that flowed into Orange’s panel, becoming part of her disco dress. 

“There are some cool little things that happened by accident that worked really well,” says Copeland.

Tony and Vivian came prepared.

“The metal work and a lot of the woodwork is done in our studio or our shops,” Tony says. “Then we could take it there. It’s almost like an assembly at that point.”  

After installation, the Zacks could incorporate paint and color with their mixed media style. 

“The best part is when you walk in there and you see that somebody else had added something,” Tony says. “You’re like, ‘Woah, that’s new, that’s cool!’”

Copeland says the Zacks’ unique style threw her a design curveball. 

“It’s so cool on the mural, but it was just out of my wheelhouse,” Copeland says. “Trying to find ways to make my art work with it was a challenge.”

Vivian says Copeland’s talent ensured the styles flowed seamlessly. But, she notes, Parker’s style was most aligned with the Zacks unique take. 

“We try to do 3D things or even metal work, too,” Vivian says. “I thought having Brendan’s background made it easy for us to just put it on there and see how it flowed. It looked like it was flying to me.”

Parker’s flying background flow inspired the Zacks’ wings installation. Too, the couple incorporated a guitar, music notes, hearts, and other aspects. 

“Do what you know,” Vivian said. “Musician, art, that’s what we do, so I just incorporated the music with it.”

Following the Best of the Emerald Coast event, the mural panels went up for sale through MKAF’s online auction fundraiser. The mural was also reinstalled on-site at the Henderson Beach Resort for the organization’s Arty Kickoff Party and at the Dugas Pavilion in Destin for the annual Festival of the Arts.    

There are four Love EC mural panels still available for purchase. Proceeds benefit MKAF arts initiatives. For inquiries, contact auction chair Bridget Gorder at bgorder@mkaf.org.