A colorful new mural, depicting wild horses splashing through water, was recently completed at Pat Coursey Park in downtown Brownwood.  The mural compliments the water fountain in the park which also features horses.

Bringing the vision to life was mural artist Calina Mishay Johnson whose works can be enjoyed statewide, from Midland to Waxahachie, Canton to Coleman, Fort Worth to Abilene along with Brady, Eden and many others totaling more than 60 wall size works of art.  She painted her first wall in her hometown of Haskell.

The Pat Coursey Park mural project was first conceptualized by Brownwood Municipal Development District Assistant Executive Director Marshal McIntosh as part of an ongoing effort to revitalize the historic downtown area. More murals are being planned with a variety of artists to enhance downtown for both residents and visitors.

Artist Calina Mishay Johnson

“They brought me in because there is a cool little vibe going on in downtown Brownwood.  There was a spot behind the fountain at the park.  The fountain here already has some horses running through the water, so we thought it would be cool to keep expanding on that and doing something colorful, kind of an Instagram moment, that people would stop and it would just catch their eye and make them want to get out of their car and walk around and explore downtown,” Johnson said.

Johnson, who is a self taught artist that originally did canvas works while working a full-time job as a behavioral analyst, followed street art on social media.

“I was seeing all these cool things they were doing in the city and changing the city scene with these really pretty mural art pieces.  Being from a small town I was like, okay, I’m not a city girl, not Dallas or Austin, but it so happened that at the same time all these small towns are starting to revitalize and there was a push to bring people back.  I thought it was perfect timing for me to be able to do something cool like this in places that I knew and towns that I was passionate about,” Johnson said.

In an interview with Brownwoodnews.com, McIntosh said “We’re thrilled to see Calina’s work find a home in our downtown area.  The design concept she submitted is going to be a favorite feature of the park for our residents as they visit the many wonderful shopping spots and entertainment venues popping up all over our historic downtown Brownwood.”

McIntosh also explained additional improvements to the park are expected to be completed by the Summer of 2021, including shade structures, picnic tables, and additional lighting.