Ector County ISD continued its 100th anniversary celebration Wednesday with the dedication of a mural on the side of the Development Office at 10th Street and Golder Avenue.
Created by Koda Witsken, the mural came about through a partnership with Odessa Arts. After a national search, Witsken was selected and traveled to Odessa to install the mural.
In Witsken’s words, the mural commemorates ECISD’s growth from 114 students to more than 32,000, and the history and culture acquired and enriched in doing so, a news release said.
The mural celebrates ECISD’s history and culture, acknowledges the district’s ties to SpaceX, and points to its bright future, the release said.
During the installation, the community was invited to sign a portion of the mural before the artist painted the work, giving the wall a local “soul.”
“I’ve been chatting early this morning with several people about this opportunity behind me and I am not an artist by any means, and so just thinking about the brains and the wisdom and the talent that comes together in someone’s mind, to be able to imagine and envision this type of creation and then to make it come to life on a wall here in Ector County is pretty phenomenal,” Superintendent Scott Muri said.
Five members of the board of trustees were on hand, as well as district and city officials and community members.
“A hundred years ago, ECISD, Ector County Independent School District was signed into law by the governor of the state of Texas. One hundred and fourteen students started school in August 100 years ago. … We’ve evolved quite a bit in the last 100 years. We now have over 32,000 Students, 4,200 employees taking care of the children in this community,” Muri said.
He added that life has changed and evolved.
“… And the mural that you see behind me reflects much of that evolution. As you gaze into this mural, you will see some of our history. You’ll see customs and traditions. You’ll see images that reflect the last 100 years of Ector County. The quality of life is embedded in the mural; our different demographic populations are embedded in the mural. Individuals that have played important parts in our journey in the last 100 years are embedded in the mural. Then you also find today represented in these images; who are we today as an organization? Obviously, the arts are alive and well in ECISD and Ector County and you will see a lot of that depicted in the mural. But you’ll also notice the future represented as they look to the sky, as they look into tomorrow. We are 100 years old, but we are not finishing our journey,” Muri said.
Executive Director of Odessa Arts Randy Ham noted the vibrancy of the mural, which was made with spray paint. An anti-graffiti sealant was applied so it can be washed off without damaging the mural underneath, Ham said.
“… Over the last few years, we’ve done mural programs and we’ve done public art, we’re seeing these pops of color. This particular mural has been in the works for over a year,” Ham said.
ECISD Chief Communications Officer Mike Adkins called Ham and told him they were having events celebrating ECISD’s 100 years and they wanted an art component. The art component is something people have started requesting in the last several years.
“It’s a sea change in the way that we’re thinking about our own community …,” Ham said.
During the mural creation process, Ham said students were on site asking the artist questions and learning that they could have a viable career as an artist.
He added that there will be more murals and more art installed throughout the community.
Ham said this was a section of the city that normally doesn’t get attention through art.
“… And now it is and this is just the first. There will be more and I can’t wait to see that. I can’t wait to see more and more art on this side of town. Art should be accessible to everyone, not just the chosen few. …,” he said.
Ham said there will be another mural on the side of the Family Wellness Clinic at Lee Avenue and Fourth Street. A mural festival is being planned for 2023, so they hope to have four to five new murals in one week.
“… The greatest thing about our public art program is it started just as art on city property and it’s grown. The hotel has a piece of art; ECISD has a piece of art; First Basin Credit Union has a sculpture in front of their (building). We’re starting to see that private investment, which is what we always wanted,” Ham said.
