New mural in downtown Little Rock created to show powerful depiction of women

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Along the busy Chester Street in downtown Little Rock, a new mural catches the eye of by passers.

“I knew that this was a pretty busy street, that people drive pretty fast on, the brighter, the bolder the better,” Krannichfield said.

With the side of a building as her canvas, artist Lisa Krannichfield, a Little Rock native, set out to paint what she didn’t see growing up.

“When I was an art student in college, I never really saw powerful depictions of women in my art history classes, and I also didn’t feel represented of how I look either, and so those two things really influenced my work today,” Krannichfield said.

When asked to do a mural downtown, she put her brushes to work to create something for all.

With every brushstroke, she wanted to create something for all.

“It’s a painting that belongs to the city and so anyone driving by can enjoy it, and you don't have to have a ticket to go to a museum or money to go to a gallery,” Krannichfield said.

Through Craig Hamilton Construction and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, to help create public art, this mural was able to come to life.

Gabe Holmstrom, Executive Director of the Downtown Little Partnership, said that they strive to bring life to the area. Creating public art, is a way they aim to accomplish that.

“We allocate a certain amount of money each year, and we work with area property owners and businesses to get public art in downtown Little Rock,” Holmstrom said.

Holmstrom said that with some of the funds from their annual Main Street Food Truck Festival, they match 50% of mural costs with property owners.

“It’s a fantastic thing to see, our office is right up the street, every day when I walk down the street and see this mural, I always stare at it when I’m walking by and I always grin,” Holmstrom said.

Feeling the support of the public, Krannichfield is happy to have created something meaningful.

“It makes me really happy, honestly the whole time I was painting people of all ages, genders, and colors were honking and waving out of their cars, it was amazing,” Krannichfield said.

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