In this conversation, the Annapolis-born muralist Comacell Brown speaks with County Executive Steuart Pittman on how his artistic journey evolved from painting t-shirts in middle school to creating large-scale public art throughout Anne Arundel County and beyond.
Brown takes us behind the scenes of the stunning Arundel Center mural, where he collaborated with fellow artist Cindy Fletcher Holden to transform a four-story "Great White Wall" into an interactive celebration of county life. The project's innovative augmented reality component brings elements of the mural to life through smartphone technology, complete with ambient sounds of birds chirping and Blue Angels flying overhead.
What makes Brown's approach unique is his commitment to community involvement. Rather than imposing his vision, he conducts "jam sessions" where residents and stakeholders contribute ideas that shape his designs. This collaborative process creates unexpected connections: "Even when I leave, you'll see community members that maybe have lived next door to each other for years and never spoken. And then we get out on an art project, and you all are assisting and helping each other paint a straight line, and now you're talking every day."
As creative director for Tunnel Vision and through his work with the Chase Your Dreams Initiative, Brown extends his artistic impact by engaging youth in basketball court renovation projects. These transformative experiences show troubled kids that "they just needed something to keep them active and show them a real role model."
Brown's passion for community-building through art offers a powerful reminder that public spaces matter. Whether it's a basketball court in Meade Village or a downtown gathering place, art creates environments where diverse community members connect across generational, economic, and cultural divides. His closing advice to parents of artistic children resonates with anyone who believes in nurturing creative potential: "If you see them drawing, if they're one of the ones getting in trouble in school because they're always drawing – there's a silver lining in that artwork."
Ready to see your community through an artist's eyes? Listen now and share this episode with someone who believes in the power of public art to transform neighborhoods and lives.
If you like the stories and insights in Pittman and Friends, be sure to follow the County Executive on social media and sign up for his Weekly Letter using the links below.
Weekly Letter: https://www.aacounty.org/county-executive/steuart-pittman/pittmans-pen/weekly-letter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AACoExec
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/AACoExec
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AACoExec/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArundelTV
More episodes from "Pittman and Friends Podcast"
Don't miss an episode of “Pittman and Friends Podcast” and subscribe to it in the GetPodcast app.
