VCVB, Downtown Vicksburg Main Street approve new waterfront mural

Published 10:40 am Wednesday, November 2, 2022

: This mural by Craig Thomas Art is an inspiration piece for the mural to be painted on the flood wall at the Vicksburg waterfront. (Photo courtesy of VCVB)

The Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau board voted during their October meeting to help fund an art mural inside the flood wall at the city waterfront.

The start-up cost for the mural is $14,000. The Downtown Vicksburg Main Street Program, which requested help from the VCVB, will split the cost with the VCVB with each paying $7,000.

The completed scope of the project will be funded by a grant from the City of Vicksburg.

“The city is funding this mural but because of the city rules, they cannot pay the $14,000 startup cost. They can only pay things on the back end and the artist has to have materials on the front end,” VCVB executive director Laura Beth Strickland said.

The city of Vicksburg and Vicksburg Main Street is working with Craig Thomas Art on the mural. The purpose of the mural, Strickland said, is to have a more vibrant, welcoming experience for guests arriving via boat at the downtown Vicksburg waterfront.

Next steps include a meeting with the artist to discuss what will be included in the mural. The artist will then create a rendering and share it with Vicksburg Main Street, the VCVB and the city for input.

Strickland said once a rendering of the mural is approved the artist will begin work, with an estimated timeline of 10 weeks until the project is completed.

The total cost of the mural is $42,000.

The reason for the high cost, Strickland said, is due to the paint used.

The type of paint would be silica-based paint that is environmentally safe and last for decades. No paint, with any variety of color palettes, is guaranteed for long periods of submergence under water, but silica paint has the best record of longevity.

An extra coat of paint will be applied in the detail areas for extra protection.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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