The Local Tourist
Mary Beard Grodsky
When I was in high school at TCHS, an Art IV class was introduced. I remember talking about it at the lunch table and questioned why we needed such an advanced class and was told it was because Brian Casabella and another student were so talented that the class was needed to get them into advanced college programs. Last week, I had the opportunity to catch up with Brian. When I asked him if the high school rumor was accurate or lunchroom gossip, he simply laughed. Today, he works for Medtronic where his job didn’t exist before he came on and was created specifically to fit his talents. It became clear to me that Brian continues to defy the norm when even a top medical device company had to create a job title to fit his skills.
Brian knew from a very young age that he was naturally interested in drawing and art, and Bob Ross was partially to blame. Living in rural Iuka, we only had 5 to 6 channels that could provide any sort of artistic inspiration growing up. Brian’s art teacher, Ms. Allen, lead him down the path of creating a portfolio for college submission. When he told me some of the schools he was accepted into, I was impressed. He ultimately settled on Memphis College of Art and decided on a major after thumbing through one of their college catalogs. Unsure if art could even support a career, he landed on graphic design.
As his mural began at Eastport, I had several Memphians ask me if I knew what was going on. Not definitively, but I knew it was something Brian was designing. While the wall is structural in nature, Brian had seen murals in several areas he visited and knew this was an opportunity to create a landmark in Eastport while instilling a since of pride for the place he grew up. As he began to design the map to fit the wall’s 130 foot long x 13 feet tall shape, he realized accuracy was important. He explained that when you look at the map, it is positioned in context to the viewer.
In order to design and paint with accuracy, Brian measured seams in the concrete, which were vertical and horizontal to act like a grid. This gave him the ability to transfer his design on paper to the wall. He was able to paint most of the map in one week along with several weekends of hand lettering each and every cove to finish off the design. As the cherry on top, reflective paint is on the Eastport area so that it creates interactivity on the design and also spotlights the main area of the map.
With all of the accuracy of the maps and coves depicted, Brian was able to turn this into various merchandise pieces including pillows, t-shirts, towels, etc. that can be purchased at The Currated Cottage in downtown Iuka or Eastport Marina (now owned and operated by his family). With the building renovations going on downtown, he has also been contacted to create a mural on one of the walls, potentially the Vidette. While the discussion is just beginning, he hopes to create a landmark mural with the ultimate goal of creating a sense of pride for the community.
