Goat Pen + Public Art
When Doug and Kalene purchased this building back in 2017 it was in need of a laundry list of both cosmetic and structural projects. Naturally, the structural projects received immediate attention to ensure the building would be safe and comfortable. Once these nitty gritty projects were out of the way, an incredible opportunity presented itself.
Tennessee’s South Cumberland Tourism Partnership teamed up with a local non-profit, DMA-events, and transformed the building into a piece of art that pays tribute to Tracy City’s coal mining history.
Built in the late 1950’s The Goat Pen was originally W.H. Geary’s Plumbing and Hardware. Prior to opening this business, W.H. Geary was a coal miner. This information only came to light after the mural’s completion, a true serendipitous occurrence that shows how much history can enrich the meaning of a place.
“Lantern Light”, designed and painted by artist Megan Lingerfelt, is the first full scale mural in Tracy City. Her inspiration for the lantern can be seen on display a few blocks away at the Grundy County Historical Society. Megan and her mom stayed at the Goat Pen throughout their time working on the mural, and it was a delight to see their daily progress.Megan got to work the evening she arrived in town. A silhouette of the design was projected against the wall, allowing her to draw a rough chalk outline.
The first photos were taken after Megan and her mom had been working for a couple hours the next morning.
The Goat Pen + Hanks Corner Grille sits at the busiest of our town’s two traffic lights. Megan and her mom were treated to Tracy City’s hospitality with a steady stream of waves and encouraging words coming from the rolled down windows of cars and trucks passing by. The excitement of being able to watch this larger than life work-in-progress had everyone in town slowing down to take a closer look, including some of the neighborhood critters.
Megan began working on murals while living in Seattle, WA. During her time in Seattle, she refined her sense of style that showcases bold colors with an emphasis on the contrast of shadow and light. When she relocated to Oak Ridge, TN, she invited her mom to join in on many of her projects, including this one. The third day of painting fell on a Saturday, allowing Megan’s husband to come into town and lend a hand for a few hours. Throughout their time in town, the neighborhood cat continued to hang around to witness the progress.
A lawnmower project prevented a proper in depth documentation of Day 4’s progress. Despite this lack of coverage, Megan was spending at least 10 hours per day working on the mural. Her striped umbrella was retired and replaced during this marathon painting session after succumbing to many hours of UV exposure.
On the final day, Megan finished her mural by painting the reflection of light coming from the lantern + signing her name. “Lantern Light” is currently the largest public artwork to date in Grundy County.
The future is looking bright for our humble mountain town.
It is also looking pretty bright for that neighborhood stray cat. Word on the street is she’s living her best life in Oak Ridge and goes by the name “Jodi”.
“Lantern Light” was supported by Tennessee’s South Cumberland Tourism Partnership, Inc. and a Creative Placemaking grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission.
Artist Megan Lingerfelt’s website and Instagram.
More information about DMA-Events and a map of murals across Tennessee they have helped bring to life.
