New mural coming to downtown building

Thanks to public funding, donors, and a local artist, Downtown Stillwater’s busiest block will soon be adorned with a bright and bold mural on the front facade of the Hazel Modella Art Gallery. 

During the Dec. 16, 2024, meeting of the Stillwater Economic Development Authority, Trustees approved a Small Business Enhancement application for $2,640 to be used to improve the exterior of the building located at 721 S. Main St.

“We are utilizing the funding for a mural that will … enhance the sign, and we are going to do some enhancements to the porch area as well,” Valerie Zayat-Bloodgood, founding member of the gallery, told Trustees.

When local artist Katie Hoffmeier discovered the art gallery’s fundraiser for the project, she enthusiastically offered her services to design, paint, and provide some of the necessary materials for the outdoor mural.

“She said, ‘You know, I could do this for you,’ and she showed pictures of murals she has done before,” Bloodgood told The Stillwegian.

The mural adorning the art gallery building will mark the artist’s third mural. Hoffmeier has already painted a vibrant 60 by 16-foot mural within Roughtail Brewery in Oklahoma City. Additionally, the artist created a cosmic 8 by 16-foot mural outside Penn Square Mall, which prominently features the Osage warrior’s shield, a recognizable symbol also on the Oklahoma state flag.

Hoffmeier aims to design a vibrant geometric pattern that will catch the attention of passersby and encourage visitors to see what’s inside.

“Well, I think [Modella] is wonderful and I just don't think that people see it. You know, I think you can drive right by it and not know where it is you just passed,” Hoffmeier said. “It's such a gem and so I just think it deserves a little more … punch.”

Hoffmeier, also known as OKKatiedotcom online, mentioned that the mural should take less than a week to complete. However, the weather poses the greatest challenge to outdoor murals. She is optimistic about some dry periods in late January.

“We’re looking for a couple of days where we don’t expect any precipitation,” Hoffmeier said. “It’s not like it’s going to run necessarily, but it really does hinder the drying.”

Hoffmeier faces another challenge in the form of curious spectators who can slow her down with questions. However, she actually looks forward to the engagement.

“Being in such a prominent location where there is a lot of foot traffic by there every day … I’ll be on a scissor lift a lot of the time and so I'll just have to navigate around others,” Hoffmeier said. “But it's also one of my favorite parts of it getting to meet people in the neighborhood … I always like to take a break and see what’s going on in their world.”

Hoffmeier’s first application to showcase her art at the gallery was rejected about five years ago. Despite this setback, it didn’t deter her; instead, it fueled her determination to continuously improve her craft. Her second application was accepted, and her bold geometric designs graced the gallery walls in August 2024. 

“I think that the gallery holds a special place in my heart, being a place that helped me achieve some of my dreams,” Hoffmeier said. “Because I took a long time off from art, and so when I came back to it, I thought, ‘Oh gosh, I really want to be in a gallery somewhere close so my family can see it.’”

Downtown Stillwater is now home to over a dozen murals. From side streets to the alleys, you can’t go far without noticing how much Stillwegians are investing in local art.

“The whole downtown area is just so … vibrant. It does have a lot of little nooks and crannies that are so interesting and specific to Stillwater,” Hoffmeier said. “It means a lot to be able to contribute something to the personality of the district and to be able to drive by it with my daughter and look up and say, ‘Hey, look, there's something Mommy painted.’”