Daniel Johnston recorded songs in his parents' basement in rural West Virginia that would eventually inspire artists such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Wilco, and Sonic Youth. In this award-winning episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores the life, art, and enduring legacy of the late singer-songwriter and visual artist whose creative genius and struggles with bipolar disorder made him one of America's most influential outsider artists.
Fairfield District Mural Honors Huntington Community’s Black Heritage
Share this Article
A large crowd gathered at the Unlimited Future Incubator in the Fairfield district of Huntington for the unveiling of the second mural in the Past to Our Future: 3 Building Mural Project.
The incubator regularly engages in community revitalization projects in Fairfield, such as the mural project. It aims to paint murals on prominent buildings in the Fairfield community that reflect the community’s Black American heritage.
“The beauty of this is to recognize those who have done so much within our community,” Huntington Mayor Steve Williams said. “We’re able to walk and drive by here and be able to see the history of Fairfield, the history of Huntington, the history of the Ohio River Valley, and indeed, and let’s make sure that everybody knows it, the history of West Virginia is celebrated in each of these individuals.”
David Adkins
/
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Mitzi Sinnott, organizer of the mural project, introducing Huntington Mayor Steve Williams
Betsy Casañas is the mural artist of the mural. She is from Philadelphia and is the director of a Seed on Diamond Gallery and founder of Semilla Arts Initiative.
Mitzi Sinnott, organizer of the mural project, said that Casañas was chosen because of her specific ability to paint on non-flat surfaces, and for her ability to reflect the community she’s painting for.
David Adkins
/
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Betsy Casañas’ Signature
“She chose the river birch tree, which is indigenous to the Ohio River Valley. She was talking about putting the people we choose to honor inside of birch leaves,” Sinnott said. “If you look at the mural, the woman, she is the divine feminine, who is the bridge between the heavens and earth, and we are rooted by her on Earth. So her roots are there and she actually is becoming a tree.”
David Adkins
/
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Woman in the center of Betsy Casañas’ mural
Bishop Samuel Moore is one of the people included in the mural.
“To have your picture on this, I mean, it’s just overwhelming,” Moore said. “It’s very humbling to me, because it will be here for a long time. I came here from Huntington for Bluefield in 1985, and so this community, we’ve embraced it, and it’s embraced us.”.
David Adkins
/
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Founders of The Unlimited Future Incubator and Mitzi Sinnott
The mural project began with Ernel Martinez’s mural on the side of Ebenezer Daycare and will continue with the J.W. Scott Center. For more information, you can visit the project’s website at www.unlimitedfuture.org/3buildingmural/.
Add WVPB as a preferred source on Google to see more from our team
Daniel Johnston recorded songs in his parents' basement in rural West Virginia that would eventually inspire artists such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Wilco, and Sonic Youth. In this award-winning episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores the life, art, and enduring legacy of the late singer-songwriter and visual artist whose creative genius and struggles with bipolar disorder made him one of America's most influential outsider artists.
The late singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston grew up in West Virginia and came onto the indie music scene in the 1980s. Last year, Johnston was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and he’s featured in the next episode of Us & Them. In this award-winning show, host Trey Kay learns about Johnston’s legacy which was partly shaped by his challenges with mental illness.
Appalachia is home to many types of music: Old-time and bluegrass, of course, but also rock and hip hop, Americana and jazz, metal and hardcore — and dungeon synth. In fact, that genre, which spun out of black metal, will be showcased outside Whitesburg, Kentucky this weekend, June 13 and 14, at Appalachian Dungeon Fest.
