18 Mar James Brown Mural – Congratulations to Cole Phail!

James Brown Mural

The online, public voting for the James Brown mural that will be painted on the side of the building located at 879 Broad Street ended on Friday, March 13 at midnight.  The winning design is “The Spirit of Funk” by Cole Phail with 35% of the vote.  Cole Phail is an experienced mural artist from Appling, GA and we look forward to seeing his vision become reality in our Downtown streetscape.

Title of Mural:   “The Spirit of Funk”

Artist:                 Cole Phail

Artist Statement:

Using a variety of art styles, (realism, graphic, and impressionistic) and packed with the lyrics of James Brown’s greatest hits and his various nicknames and titles, I want the viewer to experience everything that made James Brown a legend and to discover something new every time they pass by! The dominant image is of Brown wearing a colorful cape from the unforgettable, one-of-a-kind routine he made famous early in his career while the crowning graphic around his head contains his iconic catchphrase, “I Feel Good” and is the theme for this mural.  The stained glass graphics behind the young James Brown represents how he got his start in a gospel quartet and later earned him the title The Godfather of Soul and Soul Brother #1. My hope is that the viewer will get the full impact of the life of James Brown with a casual viewing, but will be enticed to spend more time studying the details layered throughout!