BERRYVILLE, Ark. — Berryville, Arkansas isn’t known as the art center of Carroll County, that honor typically goes to Eureka Springs.  However, Berryville has a niche all its own with its downtown murals.  The murals make Berryville an ideal backdrop for those picture-perfect social media pictures.

Rusty Dycus owns Old School Marketing which sits on the Berryville square.  He loves being surrounded by art on all sides, “It’s just cool. It’s a fun thing for the town square.” 

Rusty has watched firsthand how people are interested in the drive-by art display. 

“There’s people that stop in here all the time, looking at the murals.  Seeing what the history was like.”

“Usually you can tell an out-of-towner, they just look different or act different,” laughs artist James Abbott.

Nearly five years ago, James Abbott and his friend Randy Rust started painting the old buildings around the Carroll County Courthouse. 

“There was a lot of interest in dressing up the square,” explains James.

The goal was to get people to visit Berryville, and according to James, mission accomplished, “We see a lot of tourists that stop and take photos with the murals.”

Currently, there are nine murals.  One in nearly every direction you look. 

Recently, artist Randy Rust passed away and James’ health is keeping him from painting more.  That is where they push to the next generation of local artists come in. 

“It could be alive if there’s enough interest.  And like I said, somebody that can do the work.”