AthFest 20th Anniversary Mural

As most Athens residents know, the AthFest Music and Arts Festival wrapped up this past weekend. The heat definitely didn’t deter locals and travelers alike from enjoying the festivities and local talent, especially since this year marked the 20th anniversary of the event. AthFest is about music, art and the community, so it comes as no surprise that the milestone was celebrated with a commissioned mural. The piece is located on the wall of Philanthropy, a clothing store downtown.

Bird Song = Athfest 2016 mural - Athens Ga. The project was a collaboration between artist David Hale, four high school interns and youth from various after school and summer programs. The mural depicts 20 large scale birds that are native to Georgia. Each songbird represents a year of AthFest. David Hale is a local tattoo artist and illustrator whose work explores spirituality in nature. His work often depicts animals, so the use of songbirds to represent the musical soul of AthFest is a natural choice.

Bird Song = Athfest 2016 mural - Athens Ga. The majority of the mural was created at the Lyndon House before being installed on the wall that will be its permanent home. The children played a large role in creating the content and layout for the work. This lovely and intricate design captures the spirit of Athens and the culture of art and music in the community perfectly. Collaborations such as this between local artists and the community are what make Athens a truly inspiring place to call call home.