25 Mar Jefferson Chamber & Stuckey’s Announce Winning Mural Artists
Pecan Pride & Road Trip Fun Promise to Drive Traffic to Wrens, GA!
WRENS, GA – March 25, 2024 – The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Stuckey’s Corporation are proud to unveil the artists chosen to adorn the candy plant’s exterior walls, Pash Lima and the team behind “Color the World Bright,” a collaborative project lead by Joseph Norman, Professor of Art at the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia, and Katie Brannen, Artist and Project Manager.
“We were overwhelmed by the incredible creativity in the 47 applications submitted,” stated Evans Hodges, Community Development Director at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. The outpouring of talent underscores the power of art to transform communities. And we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Wrens City Councilwoman Michelle Weatherford and Brandy Johnson with Oconee Fall Line Technical College for donating their time on the selection committee.”
The two murals will grace the exterior walls of the Stuckey’s candy plant along U.S. 1 in Wrens, Georgia. Pash Lima was selected to paint the mural celebrating the pecan as America’s native nut, with Georgia reigning supreme as the top producer. Meanwhile, the second mural, an ode to the spirit of the road trip and Georgia’s roadside wonders, will be spearheaded by the UGA team.
“Art is the lifeblood of community,” Stephanie Stuckey, Chair of Stuckey’s Corporation, declared. “These murals will not only honor Stuckey’s legacy but also beckon travelers to experience Wrens. We are deeply grateful to our partners at Jefferson County for funding and supporting this project.”
Pash Lima is an Atlanta-based artist who attended University of the Arts and Hussian School of Art, both in Philadelphia, PA. His mural art has graced the walls of numerous buildings and businesses, including The Twelve Hotel in Atlanta and Clark Atlanta University. Lima was selected to paint a mural celebrating the pecan, including its history and cultural importance to our state. “As an artist, having the privilege of being chosen to do what you love in the service of good people and the community is an amazing feeling. I am honored to have the opportunity to capture the pecan’s essence in my art, weaving together its rich history and cultural significance,” stated Lima.
“Color the World Bright” will be creating a road trip-inspired mural. The organization the inspiration of Professor Norman in the early 2000’s, with a goal to create a mural organization to fund UGA’s art students study abroad program in Italy. CTWB provides on-the-job, quality instruction to a diverse pool of UGA students who represent its student body’s multicultural heritage, educating them in the art of painting, finance, public relations, and business management. “We are thrilled to add Wrens to our growing portfolio of cities in Georgia whose walls we have graced with student-led murals, including Conyers, Commerce, Griffin, and Bowman,” said Norman. “Our organization believes that through art you can change the lives of a community and change the lives of students. In so doing that, you can change the world.”
“UGA runs in our veins,” noted R.G. Lamar, Jr., CEO of Stuckey’s whose mother earned an arts degree from the Lamar Dodd School. “From family legacies to shared values, our partnership with UGA fuels our commitment to community and creativity.”
Stay tuned as Stuckey’s announces the dates for the mural painting. The public will be invited to witness their creation as well as explore Wrens and Jefferson County.
About Stuckey’s
Stuckey’s was founded by W.S. “Sylvester” Stuckey, Sr. as a pecan stand in Eastman, Georgia in 1937. Through hard work and grit, Stuckey’s grew into a roadside empire that numbered over 300 stores at its peak in the 1970s. The stores fell out of family hands for decades but were reacquired by Billy Stuckey, son of the founder and former U.S. Congressman, in 1985. Stephanie Stuckey took over in November of 2019 after a lengthy career in law and public service. In August of 2020, RG Lamar, Jr. became President and co-owner. Under this new leadership, Stuckey’s has acquired a pecan shelling and candy plant, added thousands of retail customers, ramped up online sales, and expanded its licensed locations.
About Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is an organization of businesses and professional men and women who have joined together to help make Jefferson County a better place to live, work and raise a family. The Chamber is a clearinghouse of information for visitors and locals; provides technical support to a wide variety of local community-based organizations; offers support and information for start-up businesses.
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For more information about Stuckey’s, please visit http://www.stuckeys.com. Follow Stuckey’s on social media:
- Facebook: Facebook/Stuckeys Corporation
- Instagram: @stuckeys_pecans
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stuckey-s-corporation/
For more information about the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, please visit https://jeffersoncounty.org/chamber. Follow the Chamber on social media:
- Facebook: Facebook/Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
For more information about Pash Lima, please follow him on Instagram: @pashlima
For more information about Color the World Bright, please visit HOME | Colortheworldbright