MULLENS COMMUNITY MURAL

PUBLIC ART · COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT · CREATIVE PRODUCTION

MULLENS, WV

As Art Consultant for Community Connections, Inc., I led the Mullens Community Mural from initial concept through completion as part of an environmental change initiative using public art to help strengthen and transform communities.

Mullens is a small Appalachian community shaped by a rich coal and railroad history, but also by decades of economic transition, population loss, the lasting impact of a catastrophic 2001 flood, and the effects of the opioid crisis throughout the region. The project was created as an investment in community identity, connection, and pride, using a shared creative experience to bring people together around the place they call home.

Through an expanded partnership with Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center, the Wyoming County Prevention Coalition, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, I commissioned a local Mullens artist to develop a mural design rooted in the town’s cultural and historical identity.

I managed the full production of the project from coordinating community partners and volunteers to scheduling, sourcing materials and equipment, managing media coverage, and leading the physical execution of the mural alongside my team.

The painting process brought together youth volunteers, students, recovery groups, faith-based organizations, community members, and project partners, turning the creation of the mural itself into a collaborative community experience.