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On April 12, community members gathered in downtown Sweetwater for the kick-off of Founder’s Day, celebrating 150 years since the city was incorporated in 1875. Leaders like Sweetwater City Mayor Doyle Lowe and Tennessee State Rep. Lowell Russell were on hand for the state proclamation, followed by the dedication of Nathan Brown’s new Sweetwater 150 mural that was completed over 10 days on the side of 3 Generations Art Studio.

The project was sponsored by the Arts Fund for East Tennessee and the City of Sweetwater. Tennessee arts nonprofit DMA-events engaged Brown, a Chattanooga-based muralist, to collaborate with the Sweetwater Junior Main Street Board on telling the city’s history through art. The high schoolers, under the leadership of Coach Sarah Davies, were divided into groups and tasked with researching their assigned topic then sharing their findings with the nonprofit’s team.

Brown and his partner Tiffany Hargis wove elements of each presentation into the mural design, key Sweetwater landmarks like the old train depot, the historic train car, the clock and the Duck Park, as well as Aquilla Quincy Orr, the local lamplighter, and a nod to the lore behind Sweetwater Creek’s name.

“We created each one of these landmarks, icons and historical places with a blend of both our styles. We took cues and elements from each one of the presentations the students gave to form a cohesive story of notable highlights of Sweetwater,” Brown explains.

The mural also depicts the Lost Sea, widely known for its ties to the Eastern Band of Cherokees who used the underground lake for protection and council ceremonies. “The Council Room” holds many artifacts, many of which are still preserved to this day. Additional mural elements include a reference to the 2017 solar eclipse and Tennessee icons like the state butterfly, the zebra swallowtail; the state flower, the iris; and the state bird, the mockingbird.

“Do More Art has made Sweetwater even sweeter with this public art project. We collaborated with Sweetwater High School students [on this mural], and artist Nathan Brown did a phenomenal job incorporating all of their presentations,” says Jessica Morgan, city administrator. “I’m so proud of the student involvement on this project and know they will feel a sense of ownership in downtown for many years to come.”

Founder’s Day is one of many events taking place in Sweetwater throughout 2025 to commemorate the 150th anniversary. The next events are an Independence Day celebration, the Sweetwater Derby Box Car Race on July 19 and the Fairest of the Fair Pageant on July 26. 

About the artist

Originally from Los Angeles, Nathan Brown relocated to Tennessee when he was 11 years old and endured a major culture shock. Embracing the transition between cities through painting graffiti and exploring new territories on his skateboard motivated Nathan artistically. In the late ’90s, he began to draw inspiration from these passions, using color and form to play with perspective. Positioned at the intersection of abstractionism and street art, Nathan has transitioned this style into the studio and on multi-story buildings across the United States and Europe.

Nathan has created more than 150 large-scale commissioned murals for communities, nonprofits and brands like Red Bull, Wrangler, Patagonia, Top Golf, WeWork, Google and Spotify. His goal has always been the same since day one: to bring people, places and communities together through public art, transforming and creating new spaces where there were none before. Now based in Chattanooga, Nathan primarily paints large-scale public art on the streets, as well as accepts indoor private commissions. 

About DMA-events, Inc.

Journalists Kristin Luna and Scott van Velsor started 501(c)(3) DMA-events in May 2018 as a catalyst to provide free access to art to rural communities throughout the South, with more than 60 large-scale murals successfully completed to date. In April 2021, DMA-event’s Walls for Women program was awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution’s state public relations and media award for commitment to historic preservation, education and patriotism consistent with the DAR mission. This is their ninth mural project to manage in Monroe County.