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New Mural By Disney Artist "Arcy" Graces Downtown Sikeston

Courtesy of: Bart Grant

A new mural has taken its place among the cityscape of downtown Sikeston.

Bart Grant, owner of Grant Financial Management, says they’ve had the project in mind for over 5 years, and finally had a platform to do so when he bought a neighboring building to his business. He decided to brick the building, which contained Reflections Salon and Boutique and Margaret Jane’s Home Decor, to bring the storefronts together stylistically. But, one outer wall was not able to hold up brick like the rest of the walls, making it the perfect surface for a welcome sign for downtown Sikeston.

“Center Street is still a part of downtown Sikeston, even though it’s not on the main Front Street, and everybody associates downtown with Front Street,” says Grant. “But, there are some shops on Center Street. So we thought, ‘let's incorporate a ‘welcome to downtown’ as kind of an entrance on Center Street to tie everything in.’”

The mural was painted by artist Ryan, also known as “Arcy”, Christenson, who has painted large-scale street art across the globe, and is currently working as a Disney Fine Artist. Grant came across his art on a trip to Kansas City, and managed to get in contact with Arcy after a bit of research.

“I just talked to him and said ‘I have a small wall, and I’d like for you to paint something on there.’ He said ‘sure’! He was heading to a big Disney convention here in Missouri anyways,” says Grant.

Rather than painting by brush, Arcy uses spray paint as his medium. It took him only two and a half 12-hour days to finish the mural.

“You’d be surprised at how realistic it looks,” says Grant.

Featured in the mural are a cowgirl on a horse, a reference to the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo; a portrait of the late Bob Depro, one of Grant’s mentors and an area philanthropist; and ‘hidden’ bulldog and Mickey Mouse images. As sort of a trademark, Arcy places a ‘hidden mickey’ in every mural he paints.

Grant says you can view the artwork anytime at his business on 124 East Center Street in Sikeston.

Credit Courtesy of: Bart Grant