hps:nows-oxpressky.comMnews/pikevile-main-streot-to-unvellmural-on-sacond-streeVarticte_o37acb38-4629-11ea-911¢-018149981 756 hint Pikeville Main Street to unveil mural on Second Street Special tothe News-Express ‘Aug 4, 2020 The Pikeville Main Street Program is unveiling its newest ‘outdoor mural in downtown Pikeville created by Pikeville native, Austin Casebolt, on Wednesday, Aug. § at 2 p.m, on Second Street across from the Appalachian Center for the Arts ‘We are transforming an underused alley into a vibrant, public space with art,” said Pikeville Main Street Director Minta Trimble, "Murals make our town beautiful and they build a sense of community.” “The arts have a long history of building and strengthening ‘communities which in tum strengthens our economy, City Manager Philip Elswick. “By investing in the arts, Pikeville is supporting jobs, generating revenue, and said promoting tourism, LATEST VIDEOS ‘v00000_74a171722643562_8014407211139392, This mural, painted by Pikeville natve Austin Casebot, wil be unvelled Aug 5 on Second Steet in davntown Pikevil,Casebolt was chosen for this project because of his artistic expertise and local roots in Appalachian culture. His painting titled, “Woman with Cardinal’ captures the spirit of the mountains and responds to stereotypes of easter Kentucky people. “When news outlets need a token image of rural poverty in, ‘America, Appalachia is often their gosto location,” said Casebolt. “With a long history of stereotyping that has. plagued eastern Kentucky, misinformation perpetuated by pop culture and mass media has left litle room for the moby ot FGEASROC “THU FO ZEASES DBO TEAOP2 VT SSS IIIS HEM aaning he dignity, and virtue indigenous to our mountains.” Submited photo The 5 feet by 10 feet painting features traditional iconography including the Kentucky State Bird, State Flower and the legendary Appalachian Mountains through a contemporary painting of a modern Kentuckian. The piece is comprised of a variety of layers and painting styles that reflect the essence of mountain people. Gasebolt has recently been accepted to the Master's of Fine Arts (MFA) program at the prestigious Parsons, The New School, in New York City. The MFA degree is terminal and is the capstone of an artists formal education, > served as a pioneer in the field of Art and Design for ‘more than a century. It provides a dynamic, challenging envigamrent in which students from many backgrounds and cultures develop diverse studio-based practices and pursue interdisciplinary scholarships. In 2019 and 2020, the QS World University Rankings, a London-based higher education organization, named Parsons the #1 College for Art and Design in the United States, and #3 internationally "We are very proud of Austin’s accomplishments and pleased to be able to showcase his work,” said Pikeville Mayor Jimmy Carter. "I look forward to more contributions from him to the local arts community in the future.”