The mural will measure nearly 60 feet long and stand 11 feet tall when installed on the east side of the Horticulture Building, pictured here, this summer.

Courtesy photo

I feel very fortunate to have been selected to complete this mural and work with Sublette County Fairgrounds and the Sublette Centennial Committee. I really want to create something that is a beautiful piece that exemplifies the history of Sublette County and something that the citizens and visitors can find intriguing and enjoyable to look at.”

McKenzi Davison

BIG PINEY — A vibrant new mural celebrating Sublette County’s rich western heritage is coming to the fairgrounds, thanks to generous funding from the Sublette Centennial Committee and a talented local artist. The public art installation will soon grace the east side of the Horticulture Building.

After putting out a call to artists last fall, the committee selected lifelong Sublette County resident McKenzi Davison’s bold design from three finalist proposals.

“We liked the colors and all the different representations (of Sublette County) that were included in the piece,” said Brianne Brower, Fairgrounds Administrator.

The impressive mural will span nearly 60 feet and stand 11 feet tall when complete. Its prominent location will make it hard to miss for fairgoers and anyone driving along Highway 189. “You’ll get a glimpse of it from Highway 189, and a full frontal view when you’re in the paved lot between the Ag Center and Events Center,” noted Brower.

Set against a blue background with ribbons of warm tones like red, orange and yellow, the mural pays homage to Sublette’s cowboy culture with a team of draft horses, ranchers, a bull rider, familiar livestock scenes, a sheep wagon and Wyoming’s state flower.

For Davison, being chosen for such a legacy project in her hometown is a highlight of her artistic career. “I feel very fortunate to have been selected to complete this mural and work with Sublette County Fairgrounds and the Sublette Centennial Committee. I really want to create something that is a beautiful piece that exemplifies the history of Sublette County and something that the citizens and visitors can find intriguing and enjoyable to look at,” Davison said.

The smaller-scale version selected by the committee took Davison about a month to paint, not including the time she spent researching Sublette County’s history.

Speaking about her inspiration for the design, Davison explained, “Draft horses and teams have been used throughout the history of the county and still today. The draft horse team is awe-inspiring and powerful so I wanted to incorporate them as the centerpiece of this mural.”

The two-tone images in the background of the design serve as a timeline, taking viewers through the history of the mountain men, settlers, ranchers, oil and gas workers, the sport of rodeo and more. “I really hope that all of these elements and the other pieces including the horses, flowers, mountain range and the bull can help a variety of people connect with the mural on some level.”

Davison hopes the mural will educate visitors, spark conversations about local history and culture, and instill even more community pride.

“I feel very grateful to help portray and represent Sublette County History with the help of the Sublette County Fairgrounds and the Sublette Centennial Committee.”

Davison plans to begin painting the mural on the Horticulture Building in May, weather dependent.