“Everywhere You Look, UT” Murals Celebrated in Giles, Lincoln Counties

KNOXVILLE— Two new reminders of the University of Tennessee’s statewide presence are being celebrated in two, COVID-friendly dedications today. The new murals have 30-feet-high homes in Giles and Lincoln counties, bringing the total to 14 “Everywhere You Look, UT” murals across the state.

UT System President Randy Boyd, University leadership, elected officials and members of the public will be in attendance.

“Bringing the opportunity of affordable access to higher education in lower-middle Tennessee has been our goal during much of the past year,” Boyd said. “I’m glad we now have two bold, new reminders of UT’s impact in Giles and Lincoln counties.”

Giles County Furniture serves as the canvas for the mural in Pulaski, and is located near Martin Methodist College which, pending necessary approvals, will become the fourth undergraduate campus in the UT System, effective July 1, 2021.

The Carpenter family, owners of Giles County Furniture and lifelong residents of Giles County, will be in attendance at the Pulaski mural dedication. Phil and Connie Carpenter, along with their two daughters, Courtney Carpenter Childers and Catherine Carpenter Baddour, have multiple connections to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and UT Health Science Center and are looking forward to the new connection Pulaski has with the University.

“The mural will bring hope of a brighter future to everyone who passes by,” said Courtney Carpenter Childers, a UT Knoxville College of Communication and Information faculty member.

The Pulaski mural will be seen by more than 2,800 passersby each day and is a tribute to the more than 540 UT employees, students and alumni representing Giles County.

Less than 30 miles east of Pulaski, Chanse and Catherine Bartlett’s historic property, The Corner of Market and Main, now represents UT in the bustling downtown Fayetteville community.

The Bartletts—lifelong Fayetteville residents, 2010 and 2012 UT Knoxville alumni and successful entrepreneurs—chose to host the “Everywhere You Look, UT” mural as a reminder of UT’s impact to their own community after learning about the campaign through fellow UT Knoxville alumnus and Lincoln County Mayor Bill Newman. The Local Café, one of the Bartletts’ successful, Fayetteville-based businesses, will cater the dedication.

“To be a small part of this campaign was just really cool and important to us to have that visual influence in the community,” Catherine Bartlett said. “Through the mural, we’re able to say in a big way, ‘UT is here.’”

In addition to the UT mural, the Bartletts also partnered with Troy Freeman, owner and operator of Free Sky Studios and “Everywhere You Look, UT” mural artist, to commission a “Greetings from Fayetteville” mural. The mural features longtime staples of the Fayetteville business community, including Bagley and Bagley Insurance, a fourth-generation family business on the town square owned by Catherine’s mother, Cary Bagley Sullivan.

The Fayetteville mural will now be seen by more than 8,500 travelers each day and is a tribute to the Bartletts, Mayor Newman and the more than 580 UT employees, students and alumni representing Lincoln County.

The UT System continues to look for high-traffic, high-visibility properties for future murals. Preferred locations include sites visible from Tennessee interstates, highways and waterways, or properties nestled in the center of town. To learn more about the campaign, each location and to nominate a canvas for use, visit https://everywhere.tennessee.edu/murals/.

Tags: Featured, Giles County, Lincoln County