Jessie Andrews: “… in Huntsville, we value the arts, sciences, and space exploration, but I think we also really value growth, our people, and inclusivity.” (Photo/Steve Babin)

Lockheed Martin, best known for its connection to the world of aerospace here in North Alabama, came up with an idea for an “Art in Public Places” series. The concept was to present art that best represented the finest qualities of the Rocket City: beauty, space, and most importantly, inclusion.

In a collaborative effort with Downtown Huntsville Inc. and Huntsville Utilities, Lockheed Martin connected with local artist Jessie Andrews (Instagram: @honeybloodart) to beautify the downtown area. The goal is to inspire the local community and visitors alike, using visual pieces to tell the story of Huntsville’s long, illustrious history of its contributions to the space industry.

“When Lockheed Martin contacted me, I was very excited,” Andrews said. “It was a challenge and something I had never done before, and I was very happy to work with wonderful people on a fun project.”

A Huntsville native and self-taught artist, Andrews knew exactly how to create public art for a city enamored with space.

The art itself is noteworthy, the interesting part about the pieces are the “canvases” used: downtown Huntsville utility boxes. Something that most people rarely take notice of, if at all. However, with Andrews’ murals displayed on them, those utility boxes will soon become unforgettable.

To celebrate Black History Month, some of Jessie’s murals feature black aerospace ground-breakers as Mae Jemison and Ronald McNair. (Photo/Steve Babin)

To celebrate Black History Month, some murals feature African American aerospace figures, such as Mae Jemison — the first black woman to travel into space — and Ronald McNair, who died tragically in the Challenger explosion.

There were challenges. Coupled with a short time frame for completion, there was also the ever-changing weather to navigate. January is not the most ideal time to embark on an outdoor mural campaign in Alabama.

But Andrews persevered and ultimately, prevailed.

In addition to growing up in the Rocket City and being well-versed in all things space-related, Andrews’ grandfather worked for NASA; his accomplishments and stories have served to further inspire Andrews and the galactic theme that appears throughout her work.

“Originally, I was painting abstract art onto circles because I simply thought it was beautiful and a bit unique,” said Andrews. “People would constantly refer to them as planets, so I ran with it a bit and let the viewers’ mind take the lead.”

Andrews believes that creativity molds and evolves communities and enriches environments. She believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to have access to the tools that can expand their ability to creatively express themselves. She eventually plans to turn Honeyblood Art into a nonprofit organization, with the mission of supporting local students’ creative expression through art.

“I adore Huntsville. I love to watch us expand and evolve,” said Andrews. “Street art and public art especially play a role in what we, as a community, have to say and what we value.

“Of course, in Huntsville, we value the arts, sciences, and space exploration, but I think we also really value growth, our people, and inclusivity.”