It’s not the writing on the wall that’s important, but what theimages symbolize, said Indiana muralist Justin Montavon whileapplying the finishing touches to his Hazlehurst masterpiece.

“There are still some touch ups to do, but as far as our artwork it’s almost done,” Montavon said last Monday. “We expect to bethrough by tomorrow.”

He has been assisted by his partner Mike Doherty, who left earlyto begin preparations on their next project, and Hazlehurstresident Antoine Lomax. James Jenkins, an art instructor atHazlehurst Middle School, volunteered to do the foliage work.

The mural, located on Highway 51 across from the HazlehurstUnited Methodist Church in the post office parking lot, issponsored by the Heritage House and funded through a MississippiArts Foundation grant and donations.

Montavon said he had estimated three weeks to paint the mural,but the work had gone smoothly and he would be finished after only11 work days. The mural was challenging in several ways, hesaid.

“Normally, we work on smooth, flat surfaces, but this brick wallis pretty textured,” he said.

Lisa Scruggs, who sat on the Heritage House mural committee,said Montavon, best known locally for his work on the floodwall inVicksburg, was chosen because he has family ties to Hazlehurst.

“We had seen his prior work and he has connections throughHazlehurst through his wife,” she said.

Montavon, of West College Corner, Ind., is married to the formerMary Apel of Hazlehurst.

The artist said the mural represents the origins of Hazlehurstnatives Mary Tillman Smith (1904-1995) and Robert Johnson(1911-1938) and Beth Henley, who has extensive family ties to thearea and set her Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Crimes of the Heart”in the town.

The mural incorporates the birthplaces of Smith and Johnson andHenley’s grandmother’s home, which was the home used in the filmversion of “Crimes of the Heart.”

“Two of the houses are still standing – the Tillman and Henleyhouses – and I believe they have plans to restore the Johnsonhouse. (The Heritage House) is trying to get some interest in localheroes,” Montavon said.

The mural symbolizes the message that whatever a person’sorigins – whether from small town America or a metropolis – theycan achieve their dreams if they apply themselves, Montavonsaid.

Often motivated by her faith and the desire to “pretty heryard,” Smith transformed her home into a landscape of painted tin,wood and other objects. Her folk art has been widely collected andexhibited.

“You can usually find something of hers on (Internet auctionsites) for thousands of dollars,” Montavon said.

A legendary blues musician, Johnson is perhaps best known for amyth that he sold his soul to the Devil at a Mississippi crossroadsto obtain his talents. He died young, at the age of 27, but hismusic defined the blues of the 1930s.