The annual Mudsock week has arrived, which is one of the most exciting sports weeks of the year for Fishers High School and Hamilton Southeastern High School as they battle in various sports for the Mudsock Trophy. What better way to celebrate this tradition than by checking out the brand-new Mudsock Horsepower mural?
This recently unveiled mural, designed by Koda Witsken of Hue Murals, honors the history of Fishers. You can view this beautiful public art piece at Alderman Automotive on the exterior facade, located at 13875 Trade Center Drive. It is also highly visible with its bright colors as you drive up SR37 and look to the left.
We sat down with Koda to find out her inspiration behind the project and she shared some of her upcoming projects in the area.
Tell us about yourself! Why did you get started in creating public art pieces?
I am a studio, digital, and public artist. I work with a variety of national brands like the NFL, NBA, Boys & Girls Clubs, Target, and more on mural installations, community engagement projects, and digital initiatives for social impact and branding. My tool is my art – this is what I use to make the world better.
Art drives tourism, sets and reflects culture, and often serves as a primary platform for discourse around critical civic issues. My goal is to use my art in service of those outcomes. I want to inspire discussions around equity, and what good citizenship means in the 21st century.
Where do you pull your inspiration from, and what specifically inspired you for this mural?
When I was approached with this mural opportunity, I knew I wanted to engage Fishers’ residents in the design process to add bright, meaningful artwork to the Fishers’ landscape. The City of Fishers used to go by many names, one of which was “Mudsock,” which referred to the knee-high mud that caked horses as carriages pulled through the city. We had residents submit more than 150 photos of their horses to inspire the design.
What are your preferred mediums of art, and what did you use for this project?
This work is 100% spray paint! I am also a digital artist, and a studio artist in mixed media, acrylic, oil, spray paint, etc.
What was the timeline of this project, from draft to completion?
November 22 of 2022 to August 23 of 2023, so 9 months.
Do you have plans for any more art projects in Fishers or Hamilton County?
I’ll be painting murals on the basketball courts at Brookschool Park, sponsored by Gary Harris (local Hamilton Southeastern High School talent turned NBA star), in 2024.
Koda Witsken has many more projects planned in 2024, but we are thrilled she will be continuing to spread her artistic beauty in the City of Fishers. If you visit the Mudsock Horsepower mural, please take a selfie and tag @fishersin and @huemurals on Instagram!