What We Know: A Missouri State University student is bringing a little more color — and plenty of Missouri wildlife — to Battlefield Road in Springfield.
Sophie Bryan’s love of murals started at home. Her first was a whale she painted at her childhood home and nicknamed “Wallace.” That project helped spark her interest in painting aquatic creatures.
Now Bryan has gone much bigger.
What It Means: She spent about 100 hours painting a 90-foot mural along a fence owned by 92-year-old family friend Ann Willingham.
What’s Next: Bryan is majoring in wildlife and fisheries biology with a minor in art at Missouri State. For this project, she combined both interests and focused on wildlife found right here in Missouri.
The mural features several native species, including a great blue heron, orangethroat darters, and Bryan’s personal favorite — the Ozark hellbender.
Bryan says she wanted people to recognize how much wildlife and natural beauty Missouri has right outside the door.
The mural can be seen along the south side of Battlefield Road while heading east in Springfield.
(Photo provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation