CAS CONNECT 2022

This grid mural, primarily designed by Brent Greenwood, depicts Native and Western heritages. back-to-back project to create murals for the Roxie Weber Plaza Housing Authority in collaboration with the Prairie Arts Center. The Oklahoma Arts Council, the Vaughn Vennerberg II Endowed Chair in Art and the Mary Lou Lemon Endowed Professorship for Underrepresented Voices have all contributed funding to see this project through. But Brasuell was not originally the person who was going to create art for this space. The project itself was initiated by a resident at the RoxieWeber complex, and funding was granted before COVID- 19. So, with collaborative efforts from the Prairie Arts Center, the residents and a different artist, they were going to create artwork for the space. But due to the pandemic, the collaborators lost contact with the original artist. That is when Brasuell came into the picture. Well known for his work on set designs, theatrical scene paintings and technical design, it is no surprise why the director of the Prairie Arts Center approached him and asked him to create something for this space. In addition to his talent, Brasuell is a proponent of community art. “I wanted to bring in different artists with different perspectives, different backgrounds, with a diverse array to paint these murals,” Brasuell said. He has made it his mission to bring in local artists and community members to help with this project, in hopes that it will be continuous. Using a graffiti style of art, Brasuell and other prospective artists will help fill the walls of a concrete ramp to highlight and honor important parts of the Stillwater community in several phases. The first mural was phase one of this project and was created by Brasuell alone. The idea behind the mural is to help redefine the traditional meaning of “pioneer.” The mural highlights individuals and ideas that have helped define Stillwater and Oklahoma in history. Encapsulated in the word “Pioneers,” the mural features Standing Bear, Nancy Randolph Davis, Angie Debo, Bob Childers, T. Boone Pickens, Pioneer women, Barry Sanders, the concept of unity “Song for the People,” Frank Boardman “Pistol Pete” Eaton and the RoxieWeber Plaza Housing Authority. It also uses bold colors to represent Oklahoma’s sunset, OSU and the city of Stillwater. In the second mural, or phase two, Brasuell — along with his son — actually assisted artist and head of the ChickasawArt Program, Brent Greenwood. They made Greenwood’s mural a collaborative effort by creating a doodle grid, where community members of RoxieWeber were able to spray paint whatever they wanted on the wall. Then, Greenwood used this as a guide to create his mural which represents Native andWestern heritages. While the first mural uses colors to represent the summer, this one will use colors to represent autumn and the Oklahoma flag. “I want to showcase the arts in Oklahoma,” Brasuell said. “My wife and I made the decision that we wanted to give back to the art community in Oklahoma. For me that’s always been important. This is one of the ways I get to do that — one way I can give back.” Since the two anchor pieces are completed, they will eventually go into phase three, which will focus on Oklahoma’s heritage. He has already recruited more artists who will come in and fill in the rest of the walls. Once this ramp has been completed, Brasuell hopes to continue filling the housing complex, and even all of Stillwater with art, if allowed the opportunity. OSU COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SC I ENCES 7