Local youth help create and unveil the “Sounds of our Soul” mural in downtown

On Saturday, Aug. 20, artist Jason Flack unveiled his mural at the Johnson City Pool.

This mural was painted by Jason Flack and youth members from Rise Up!, Girls Inc, Carver Center, University School, Girl Scout Appalachian Troop 978 and other members of Filipinx, Latinx and Black American communities. This was coordinated by Slocumb Galleries by their facilitator, Lyn Govette.

ETSU President Brian Noland, Johnson City Commissioner Jenny Brock and Dean of College of Arts & Sciences Joe Bidwell were the unveiling guests of honor at this event.

Per the press release from Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, the Slocumb Galleries director, “The mural depicts diverse and notable regional musicians namely Black LGBTQ Amythyst Kiah, Asian Fiddlin Leona, Latinx Jose Castillo, Native American Daniel Bigey and Appalachian Ed Snodderly celebrating creativity, inclusion and visibility.”

It is estimated that more than 40 children got to participate in this mural. This project was a great way for these children to not only be a part of such a large art project, but they also get to see their culture displayed and drawn in a beautiful way.

Jason Flack is a 36-year-old artist who is local here to Johnson City. He has been featured in several art exhibitions and painted murals here as well. In an interview with Arts Alliance Mountain Empire (AAME), Flack revealed he came to art due to a tragedy in his life.

“In the early 2000s, Johnson City didn’t have much going on regarding art, and I was a struggling soon-to-be college drop-out at the time so nothing more than an occasional doodle would be made. That was until three major events happened in the same year: my twin sister, Jessica, died in her sleep in May 2010; a childhood friend of mine was sentenced to prison; and I was homeless for the following summer. After all of that happened, that same friend’s mother gave me an old paint set, and I have never stopped painting since. Up until that point in time, I had never painted in my life,” Flack told AAME.

Jason not only loves to express his own art, but it is special that he also allowed the youth of Johnson City to express themselves alongside him at a large scale.

This mural was commissioned by the ETSU Department of Art & Design’s Tipton & Slocumb Galleries, funded by the Hope in Action Fund from the East Tennessee Foundation with support from the Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant from the Tennessee arts Commission.