HAPA UNVEILS 70TH LARGE-SCALE MURAL

HATTIESBURG, MS (Sept. 3, 2026) – Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art (HAPA) unveiled the city’s 70th large-scale mural today. Titled “Scrape the Sky,” the two-story piece celebrates the poetic legacy of Mississippi author Etheridge Knight and highlights the power of poetry and public art to inspire creativity and imagination.

Created in cooperation with Hattiesburg Poet Laureate Jennifer Peterson and the Academy of American Poets, the mural brings poetry beyond the written page and into the public realm. Peterson conducted multi-month creative workshops in local elementary school classrooms, where students explored poetry through writing exercises inspired by public art installations throughout Hattiesburg. This process helped connect their creative experiences to the city’s growing public art collection.

“I’ve been amazed to see this art come to life through a line of poetry by Knight,” said Peterson. “Through both the mural and the creative workshop series, I wanted to draw attention to the importance of poetry in public life. I don’t know if one poem or painting can shape our city for the better, but I do know creativity helps us embrace ways of thinking that absolutely can make a difference.”

Coastal Mississippi-based artist Julia Reyes painted the 1,700-square-foot design. Reyes’ work has been featured across the region, and “Scrape the Sky” is her first completed project in Hattiesburg.

Reyes took inspiration from Knight’s poem “The Cell” to create a mural centered on the idea that powerful ideas can transcend the boundaries that attempt to contain them. Drawing on the theme of resilience, the design incorporates nature as a symbol of persistence and growth.  

“Rather than creating a literal representation of the poem, I chose to use it as a catalyst for the imagery,” said Reyes. “I wanted to create an environment that feels like a system of patterns, movement, and colorful growth that can be experienced from many different angles and distances, unfolding like a story.”

The mural is located at 307 W. Pine Street in downtown Hattiesburg, overlooking The Commons at Gordon’s Creek. The city’s newest public park and greenspace is a gathering place for community events, food truck festivals and concerts which will all be enhanced by this new colorful addition.

Since 2020, HAPA has worked with partners to grow Hattiesburg’s public art footprint throughout the city. With the completion of “Scrape the Sky,” Hattiesburg is now home to 70 large-scale murals, and the total number of public art pieces in the community exceeds 125.

“Public art gives Hattiesburg the opportunity to tell meaningful stories in places where residents and visitors can experience them every day,” said VisitHATTIESBURG CEO Marlo Dorsey. “By honoring Etheridge Knight’s poetic legacy, ‘Scrape the Sky’ celebrates Mississippi’s literary heritage while inviting new generations to see the arts as a source of imagination, connection, and inspiration.”

To learn more about HAPA or to view a map of existing public art in Hattiesburg, visit HAPA’s Facebook and Instagram pages or hburgart.com.

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A program of VisitHATTIESBURG, HAPA began in 2014 through the leadership of community members and generous donors passionate about publicly sharing art and making it accessible to all. HAPA continues to purchase and place art throughout the city – in parks, neighborhoods, public buildings, and businesses – while also raising awareness for works of art already in the area. The organization is partially funded by VisitHATTIESBURG, Mississippi Arts Commission grants, the City of Hattiesburg, and other local organizations and individuals who believe in the importance of public art.