Community dedicates solar eclipse mural
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Nearly 100 individuals turned out to celebrate the dedication of the newest mural in Copperas Cove, this one to commemorate an upcoming event – the total solar eclipse of April 8.
With the city being near the center of totality for the event, volunteers with a number of local organizations banded together to make the mural a reality.
Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful, along with The Mission Continues: Killeen Platoon, and Copperas Cove-based Rainbow Heart Studios, spearheaded the effort.
At Thursday’s celebration, Samantha Rozelle, the City of Copperas Cove’s event planner for the total solar eclipse, said that she was very thankful for the organizations coming together to make this happen for the community.
“I’m really excited to see the impact of the solar eclipse and all the visitors that coming into this city will have for our local economy, and everything we have going on. This is just the first of all of the events that are happening,” Rozelle said.
She encouraged people to check out the community events to be held between April 5th and April 8th.
“Take tons of pictures of this, share with your friends and family and let them know that we’re on that direct path with the solar eclipse and we’re really excited for that.”
Crystal Owens, who along with her husband, Jonathan, own and operate Rainbow Heart Studios, designed the mural. It features a solar eclipse above a landscape with cactus, hills, flowers, as well as a rabbit with a nod to Copperas Cove’s Rabbit Fest, and deer.
She gave thanks to the Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful Commission, of which she and Jonathan are recently appointed commissioners, as well as The Mission Continues.
She said meeting and shopping with Juanita Meyers of The Mission Continues was like Supermarket Sweepstakes, but art edition. She likewise thanked Eric Moore for lending scaffolding, and for nearby businesses such as The Bookstore Barber Salon, Gratitude Coffee for supporting the volunteers.
“I know today’s 80 degrees but a lot of the days we were out here it was quite cold. And they opened up for us and they provided our volunteers with free hot drinks so that we could do this job,” Owens said.
Most of all, she thanked all the volunteers for the support and picking up a paintbrush.
“I had no idea like how many people would show up today last week or even just to come in out and help. So many people came and shared about it online with their friends, which is what made this possible. And I met a lot of great people that I just wouldn’t have met otherwise. Art isn’t just to be visually beautiful. But the true beauty and art lies in US uniting with one another.”