Caitlin Maupin, a studio art major at ETSU, has been selected to create a mural at the mall of Johnson City.

(Contributed)

Maupin was selected by a competition through the Johnson City Public Art Committee originally meant for a mural in the breezeway. The mural will be done by Nov. 1. 

“It’s a funny story,” Maupin said. “The Johnson City Public Art Committee had a contest for a mural in the breezeway. I submitted my artwork for that contest originally, and somehow through the grapevine, the mall corporate and marketing director found my design and I got a call.”

The mural at the mall will be a tribute to Johnson City as a whole, focused on spotlighting places unique to the Johnson City area. Maupin has been enrolled in art classes since she was five years old, which helped her land this opportunity for the community. The mural at the mall will be Maupin’s biggest project yet, scaled to be 55 feet by 22 feet.

“I’ve done a lot of smaller size murals,” Maupin said. “But a hint would be to think about all your favorite spots in Johnson City, and that’s what you’ll find in the mural. My answer sounds so cheesy because I’ve literally been doing art since I could pick up a pencil.”

Maupin’s ability in art progresses past traditional formats into graphic design, which helped her in the process of creating this mural. With photoshop renders and projector and grid methods, she has been able to translate her art from a small design to the mural available on Nov. 1. 

“I originally made the design through graphic design,” Maupin said. “Today I’m actually starting to sketch it out using the projector or grid method. We had a scissor lift that got delivered which should be interesting to maneuver.”

To track the process of Maupin’s mural, visit her Facebook, Caitlin F. Maupin Art and Design, or her Instagram, @colormecaitlin .