CITY OF KATY (Covering Katy News)-Katy residents will soon have new art pieces to admire in downtown Historic Katy.
Last summer, Keep Katy Beautiful (KKB) commissioned artist Tyler Kay to create four murals, one for each wall at the base of the Harvest Plaza water tower.
According to KKB affiliate coordinator Jacalyn Warner, the murals are ready to be installed, but Kay and her assistant will still need to work on the finishing touches once they are up.
There is no official date for when the murals will be finalized, but Warner said they will most likely be done in the next few weeks.
According to KKB Chairman Carrie Singletary, the murals include historical images of Katy and a postcard design for photo opportunities. They will also serve as a backdrop for events held on the Harvest Plaza greenspace.
Warner said the board met with Kay several times to ensure the murals are historically accurate and relevant to the Katy community.
"We kind of did one panel at a time, and we would look at things and she would add, subtract," Warner said.
According to Warner, Kay's upbringing and personal connection to Katy were crucial to her understanding of the city's history. KKB secretary Jamie Wolman said Kay also visited the Katy Heritage Museum as part of her research for the designs.
"The director of the museum, Josh Garland, was really helpful in pointing out things to her that were really important historical things," Wolman said.
Singletary said the board liked the idea of murals because they are less susceptible to weather-related damage than landscaping.
She said bringing more art into downtown Katy has been one of KKB's goals for years, and the board is excited for Katy residents to see its new project once it's completed.