Selma MACAS second annual mural day draws crowd

Phoenix Park came alive on Oct. 18 as artists, students and residents gathered for the second annual Mural Fest. 

With nine murals underway, including contributions from eight professional artists and the Selma MACAS Mural Club, this year’s festival marked a significant expansion from last year’s five-mural debut. 

The theme, “Selma Rising,” showcases the city’s artistic talent and invites broader participation, Festival founder Tres Taylor said.  

“Selma is already known all over the world,” Taylor said. “We want to start bringing out the talent that is here in Selma and help make this an art town.” 

The murals reflected a wide range of styles and subjects, from abstract expressions of resilience to tributes to beloved local figures. Visiting artist Anne Smith Reeves, a Selma native, painted a joyful portrait of Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas and storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham.  

“They dedicated their lives to beautiful, wonderful art in Selma,” Reeves said. “They represent the creativity that sometimes gets overlooked in our community.” 

Lucas, who was present at the festival, expressed deep gratitude for the tribute. “It feels like I’ve been to church,” he said. “This is what we need to do to take some of the tension off of us. It’s happening, and I’m living and looking at it.” 

Artist Dewon from Birmingham brought a mural inspired by Selma’s identity as the butterfly capital of the world. His piece featured a woman as a metaphor for transformation and resilience. “She is a representation of all of us,” Dewon said. “You evolve, and you’re very resilient. You go through different stages.” 

Attendance was steady throughout the day, with more than 90 visitors by midday and a full schedule running until 5 p.m. Patti Siegel, one of the event organizers, noted the turnout was on pace to match last year’s, despite competing events like college football. “We’ve had kids from Morgan, the Aum Foundation, and our partners at the Selma Center for Nonviolence,” Siegel said. “It’s been steady and strong.” 

Mural Fest continues to grow as a grassroots movement to uplift Selma’s identity through public art, community engagement and celebration of local voices. As Lucas put it, “We’re drawing a crowd now. Ms. Kathryn (Tucker Windham) would be so thankful this happened in this town.”