By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
Yukon 66 Main Street will host an artist reception next month for a new cultural mural that is driving tourists to downtown Yukon.
The vibrant, colorful “Yukon Sunset” mural adorns the east side of a City of Yukon-owned building near Fifth and Main. The building houses the Yukon Main Street office.
The artist reception and Yukon Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting will be 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18 at 528 W Main.
The public is invited to see Yukon’s newest public art project in person and meet with artist Tox Murillo.
Attendees will be able to purchase first-edition canvas prints and regular prints featuring the 21-by-50-foot mural, which has brightened Main Street. T-shirt orders also will be taken.
The impressive Yukon Sunset mural depicts a beautiful Yukon sunset.
The large painting features a prominent image of the state bird – the scissor-tailed flycatcher – and other elements of Oklahoma and Route 66.
This unique depiction of “Yukon culture” is already proving to be a “community treasure” and a “must-stop” for tourists, according to Yukon Main Street Director Vicki Davis.
The mural artist was “wonderful to work with,” Davis said.
“Tox is a pretty incredible young man – his work ethic and his passion for what he does,” she added. “While he’s, he just embraces our community as if he’s lived here his whole life.”
It took about two weeks for Murillo to finish the mural. The Enid artist started June 18 and returned July 5 to add his signature.
“Tox’s favorite part of the entire mural was the scissortail,” Davis shared. “He was so excited to paint that.”
Murillo was selected among 16 artists who submitted proposals for this Yukon Main Street mural project.
IT’S ‘JUST FANTASTIC’
Many people are stopping to take photos and selfies in front of the mural, said Yukon Mayor Shelli Selby, a Main Street board member and chair of its design committee.
Summing up the sentiment of many admirers, Main Street board member Cherie Logan said the mural is “just fantastic.”
Yukon Chamber of Commerce CEO Pam Shelton, also a Main Street board member, said the mural will be featured on the cover of the Chamber’s membership directory.
Yukon 66 Main Street raised $15,000 to cover the cost of the Yukon Sunset mural. No public, taxpayer funds were used.
The work was funded, in part, by a Keep Oklahoma Beautiful roadside grant. Other funds were collected through sponsorships, donations, the adopt-a-bench program, Yukon Salutes banner program, and sales of Creative Crosswalk T-shirts.
Donations, grant submissions and fund-raisers are planned for another Yukon Main Street mill project. The Yukon’s Best Flour grain elevators and City of Yukon’s Dale Robertson Center are among suggested future locations.
The Yukon Sunset Mural and other public art projects are part of ongoing efforts to beautify and further revitalize Yukon’s historic Main Street district.
The public is invited to attend the Aug. 18th artist reception and encouraged to give to Yukon Main Street’s beautification fund.
For more information, call (405) 350-5999 or visit www.yukon66mainstreet.com
