The "Then" and the "Now" along with the "Future"

A lot of people have seen and talked about the massive mural on an abandoned concrete silo in Nashville, but few take the time to properly jump the fence around it. The mural is in an area that is called “The Nations.”

Let me back up a little… Many people see it, but do they see the side of it that includes two curious children with one reaching for the sky? Do people know why a man is painted on the front or why kids are painted on the side?

Australian artist Guido Van Helten is known around the globe for painting massive portraits that eerily look real. One of his famous pieces is located in an industrial area of Nashville near the old and shut down Tennessee Prison.

On the front of the Nashville silo is 91 year old Lee Estes who is often referred to as LD. He grew up in the area around the massive silo. Mr. Estes is the kind of guy who volunteers to help others, is always walking the block to see what’s going on and more. But, why was he picked and why are two kids on the side of silo?

Mr. Estes represents the neighborhood, or so to speak. He represents the old, the original and the start of the area. Another question would be, “Why are kids on the side?” Simple, Van Helten painted two boys that live in the area to represent the new, the change, the growth of the area known as The Nations.

In case you’re curious, the area around the old prison and the silo is changing in leaps and bounds. Most would agree it is changing for the good. Old homes are being rebuilt while some are being completely replaced. Shut down factories and warehouses are being turned into new businesses. Buildings that were once industrial and now falling apart are being torn down while new condos are going up.

As for artwork, The Nations neighborhood has artwork everywhere. It is well worth the drive to explore. It kinda’ represents the change that we are seeing throughout Middle Tennessee. That change includes an appreciation for art that makes our world look a little nicer.

“Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun. ”

— Pablo Picasso

Pat Steele is an artist

“My name is Pat Steele,” he told me… “I’m 55 years old and life has been a blessing only because of the Lord.”

As we talked it was obvious to me that he is an artist. His art is finding old scraps from buildings that are being torn down and utilizing what he finds to make bed headboards, benches, wall hangings and more. Oh, and he corrected me when I said old buildings by saying, “Some of it’s out of old boats, some of it’s out of old trees, some of it’s out of old buildings.”

He then told me that he loves raw and old material to create new things with: “Anything that is raw – Everything gots’ its own level of respect and I try to respect it. Even people being created in the image of God, even they are something special because you’ll never meet one that’s the same and that kind of stuff interest me.”

About Pat Steele:

“I trained combat engineers for the Army. I got out and couldn’t adjust to society so I got into trouble. 30 years ago I went to prison – got out of prison and was recruited back into the Army, got hurt and couldn’t make an assignment.” 

You can find Mr. Steele at the Nashville, TN Flea Market on the last weekend of each month. There, you can see what his eye sees. 

Artist Peter Max once stated, “I never know what I'm going to put on the canvas. The canvas paints itself. I'm just the middleman.”