Daddy Billy's
Known for his 8-bit, retro-funky paintings, Kris Kanaly drew inspiration from Tennessee as the birthplace of the blues and country music, fusing his signature style with icons from around the state to create this Tullahoma mural full of references to the Volunteer State.
“I was inspired by all the things that Tennessee is known for, as well as facets unique to its landscape,” the Oklahoma City-based artist says.
Kanaly’s public art blends these stories and objects with otherworldly landscapes that look like they were plucked from a video game. In Ballad of Tennessee, viewers will find Smoky Mountain landscapes, rivers, caves, waving wheat, a black bear, and a nod to roots music mixed in with other iconography.
The Ballad of Tennessee mural was sponsored by Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. (George Dickel), and the Tennessee Arts Commission’s FY24 Rural Arts Project Support grant, and managed by DMA Events. Image by Odinn Media
