At a recent Niceville City Council meeting, Amanda Grandy and Councilwoman Cathy Alley announced Janae Erickson as the Niceville mural design winner with an unveiling of the winning artwork. Erickson has lived in Niceville since her father retired from the Air Force in 1997. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2010 and brought her talents home to Niceville where she works as the Art Director for Frances Roy Agency. Erickson and her husband, David live in Niceville where they are raising two sons. “I am honored to have my artwork displayed in my hometown, and I owe a special thanks to Amanda Grandy for spearheading this project,” said Janae Erickson, Mural Winning Artist.
The mural design is a graphic representation of Niceville’s history. Anchored by the name “Niceville” in bold yellow lettering, the design is surrounded by a water background with illustrations from left to right depicting a historical timeline. Starting with the 1868 establishment of mail service to Boggy Bayou, a graphic story unfolds telling a tale of community and growth through the years.
“The intention of this mural was to show off the history of our community while continuing to add to its landscape. Trying to capture the spirit of Niceville, a concept which is clearly represented by the mural as the center focus of our town. Janae’s design does exactly this, the mural she created was perfection! It embodies many important historic details of Niceville and will be placed in the center of town for all to enjoy,” said Amanda Grandy, Mural Project Coordinator. Future plans for the installation of the mural are to be announced.
