By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A ribbon cutting was held Thursday for the new mural that adorns the visitors center on the Kansas State Fairgrounds.
The mural was made possible through a grant, and depicts both the modern and rural concepts of the fair. The mural is entitled "Cotton Candy Sunset" and was the creation of local artist Brady Scott.
“I grew up in rural Kansas, on a farm with cattle and lots of animals,” Scott said. “We had a little county fair there and we took out 4H animals there.”
Still, Scott says there was always something special about the Kansas State Fair.
“It was always cool to come to the state fair, which we only did two or three times,” Scott said. “I was inspired by all of the lights and the people, and it was just so different from our tiny fair.”
Scott says the mural also depicts how rural Kansas has its own beauty.
“I like the Kansas backroads and I like all of the interesting barns and there’s a wooden elevator on it (the mural),” Scott said. “Kansas has . . . I call it a 'quiet beauty.' People in Colorado, it’s in your face all the time, but in Kansas, you need to kind of quiet down and relax a little bit.”
Scott says residents need to appreciate Kansas and the sunsets, and other beauty the state has to offer. Scott also says that he hopes the mural will remind visitors to slow down and enjoy what the state of Kansas has to offer.
“I try to put a little bit of that sparkle in my artwork,” Scott said. “It’s to remind you to have fun and use your imagination every day, even as an adult, because we get so wrapped up in bills and chores and other stuff.”
You can see Scott's work on the west side of the visitors center.
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