MANKATO – As the city prepares to celebrate its 150th birthday in 2021, a mural with a Kansas theme is bringing interest to the downtown area.
Callum McNichols, a native of Burr Oak who recently graduated with a degree in illustration and graphic design from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark., designed and painted the mural on an exterior wall of the Hidden Treasures Quilt Shop. Grant funds paid for his commission.
The mural, which is titled with the state motto “Ad Astra per Aspera,” or “To the stars through difficulties,” prominently features a Kansa warrior similar to the sculpture on top of the state Capitol dome.
