Fort Mill Economic Partners unveil mural by local artist Debbie Witsett

Elizabeth Bowers, chair of the Fort Mill Economic Partners and a staff member of the Anne Springs Close Greenway, led a public unveiling of a new mural in Fort Mill. Bowers said the project "will add beauty and color to Fort Mill" and called the work a symbol of the town’s "spirit, creativity, and momentum."

Bowers told the crowd the mural was made possible by the Fort Mill Economic Partners, a coalition of local corporations, organizations and nonprofits, and described public art as "an investment in placemaking, in local pride, and the kind of memorable experiences that bring people together." She said the project had been a "couple of years in the making" and credited the partners for their leadership in bringing it to fruition. Bowers also identified the mural as the work of local artist Debbie Witsett and invited her to address attendees; she said Mayor Savage was expected to speak later, but remarks by the mayor do not appear in the transcript.

Debbie Witsett described her creative process and the practical challenges of the installation. "In the beginning, it was a lot of fun because I got to do graffiti," Witsett said, adding that she photographed a doodle and transposed it as a map for the final composition. She said wall preparation "took longer than we thought," that she worked from a scissor lift for parts of the project, and that her husband and substitute pottery teachers helped while she recovered from surgeries. "If it weren't for them, I couldn't keep going," she said, thanking the economic partners and the town for allowing public art on the wall.

An unidentified speaker offered public praise for Witsett and the partners, calling the mural "absolutely beautiful" and expressing hope for more projects of similar scale. Bowers closed the formal remarks by leading a ceremonial countdown and reminded attendees of refreshments and a later ornament unveiling by the history museum. The transcript records the event remarks and ceremonial unveiling; it does not record any formal votes, motions, or approvals related to the project.