Cowley College Art Club Brings New Mural to Downtown Arkansas City

A striking new mural is being installed in downtown Arkansas City, thanks to a months-long collaborative effort led by Cowley College’s Art Club and Art & Design Instructor Mark Dykes. The mural, designed in a nostalgic postcard style, showcases the community’s charm and landmarks through vibrant, student-created artwork.

The project originated in spring 2024 when Arty Hicks of the Arkansas City Chamber of Commerce approached the Art Club with an idea that had initially taken shape with Meg Smith and her Mass Communications students. With preliminary mockups in hand, the vision was passed to the Art Club just as they were completing a mural in Cowley’s Galle-Johnson building. The club agreed to take on the new project once the fall semester began.

Under Dykes’ direction, the club explored design possibilities and the logistics of executing a large-scale mural. Wanting to include local high school art students but facing liability challenges with scaffolding, the team turned to a method known as marouflage—a mural technique previously used near campus by department chair Mark Flickinger. This process involves painting the mural in sections on primed canvas, which are later adhered to the wall and sealed, eliminating the need for prolonged scaffolding and enabling group collaboration.

“We knew this would be a long-term project,” said Dykes. “Using marouflage let us break the design into manageable pieces and involve multiple groups—from college students to high schoolers and even elementary students—in a safe, creative, and hands-on way.”

Dykes created the final composition using Adobe Illustrator, which was then projected onto 5-by-4-foot panels for tracing and painting. Work began in August 2024 and continued throughout the school year. In total, more than a dozen Cowley College Art and Design students contributed to the mural, alongside several faculty members, Arkansas City High School students and their teacher, and a class from C-4 Elementary School—taught by Dykes’ wife, Kayla.

Installation of the panels began on April 15, marking the culmination of months of effort and community partnership.

“This mural represents everything we love about Arkansas City—its history, its people, and the way art can bring us together,” Dykes said. “It’s been an honor to lead such a dedicated and talented group of artists.”

This project reflects Cowley College’s strong commitment to community engagement and its mission to support local growth, creativity, and collaboration. From public art projects to volunteer efforts and education outreach, Cowley students, faculty, and staff are proud to play an active role in enriching Arkansas City and the surrounding region.

Hunter Ferguson | Integrated Communications Specialist
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
hunter.ferguson@cowley.edu