MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas — Walking around East Waco, you will see businesses that have been around for years, but when you make your way down Elm Avenue, you will also see a vibrant demonstration of black history and culture.
- Local artist Chesley Smith spent months creating a mural on the side of Marilyn’s Gift Gallery.
- The 80-year-old artist wanted each color, symbol, and pattern to open our community’s eyes to the traditions of black culture. Chesley said that there is a lack of it in our community.
- Across the street, local artists Cade Kegerreis and Vincent Thomas also left their mark with the "Tree of Life" mural. The mural embodies community and unity.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Elm Avenue isn’t just a street in East Waco.
“Here you can see African patterns, in Africa patterns have symbolic meaning,” Chesley Smith said.
It’s a neighborhood filled with deep-rooted history, culture, and art.
“The figures are elongated to show strength and dignity,” Smith said.
Local artist Chesley Smith spent months creating a mural on the side of Marilyn’s Gift Gallery.
“The theme is black pride,” Smith said.
The 80-year-old artist wanted each color, symbol, and pattern to open our community’s eyes to the traditions of black culture. Chesley said that there is a lack of it in our community.
“This was my inspiration to bring that to the public so that they would have and blacks to have a sense of pride to see images of them on this wall,” Smith said.
And across the street, local artists Cade Kegerreis, and Vincent Thomas have also left their mark.
“There’s so much history packed into this wall,” said local artist Cade Kegerreis.
The inspiration for the "Tree of Life" artwork came from the community,
“We can’t do it without one another. Even though this is rich in black history, it’s just here to celebrate the melting pot that we have here in Waco,” Thomas said.
Vincent Thomas said a big theme in this project was unity.
“All of the diverse cultures from north Waco to south Waco, west Waco to east Waco. It is bridging these communities, and this is what it’s all about. This is why we create art,” said Thomas.
