CORNELIA, Ga. — Local artist and community advocate Audrey Davenport shared an emotional and inspiring update this week on her growing mural initiative, Brushstrokes of Change—a project designed to celebrate Cornelia’s historically Black neighborhoods and preserve their cultural legacy through public art.
Speaking before the Cornelia City Commission, Davenport emphasized that the project is rooted in community, history, and the ongoing story of change.
“There is nothing permanent except change,” she said. “And that is part of why I named this project Brushstrokes of Change.”
A Project Born From Legacy and Loss
Davenport shared that the date of her update held personal significance: it marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of her sister, Doris Davenport, a beloved poet, cultural historian, and advocate for the preservation of African American stories in Northeast Georgia.
“She inspired this project—her love for our community and neighborhood, her belief in our stories, and her constant reminder that our history deserves to be heard,” Audrey said. Doris’s work lives on through her poetry and through the legacy archive at the Regional African American Museum of Northeast Georgia.
Davenport also credited City Manager Donald Anderson for encouraging her to bring the project forward and expand it into a participatory community effort.
Engaging the Community Through Workshops and Storytelling
Brushstrokes of Change is more than a mural; it is a community collaboration that will unfold through a series of gatherings and workshops. These events will invite residents—especially those connected to Cornelia’s Black community—to help shape the themes and imagery that appear in the final artwork.
The first community gathering will be held:
📅 Thursday, December 4
🕠 5:30 PM
📍 Cornelia City Hall
🎥 Live-stream available
A full schedule will be shared on the City of Cornelia’s Facebook page and in its weekly newsletter.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to carry this work forward,” Davenport said. “I appreciate your continued support as we bring this mural and this vision to life.”
A Mural With a Meaningful Home
When asked whether a location had been selected for the mural, Davenport confirmed that the artwork will not appear as a single wall painting, but rather as a series of painted panels.
These panels will be installed along the fencing at Jim Smith Park, a meaningful site for Cornelia’s Black community and a place long associated with neighborhood gatherings, celebrations, and recreation.
Connecting Art to Broader Conversations
Early in her remarks, Davenport addressed the topic of eminent domain—an issue raised earlier in the meeting and one that she said has historically and disproportionately affected Black communities nationwide.
She referenced examples such as the destruction of a Black neighborhood in Savannah due to interstate construction and noted that conversations about land use and development carry different weight for residents living in historic Black districts.
“I get nervous when they talk about eminent domain because it affects me differently than it does someone who lives out in the county,” she told attendees.
Her comments underscored why projects like Brushstrokes of Change matter: they preserve visibility, voice, and history in communities that have often been vulnerable to displacement.
Looking Ahead
As Brushstrokes of Change moves into its next phase, Davenport hopes more community members will join the conversation, share their stories, and help bring to life a public artwork that reflects pride, resilience, and generational heritage.
“This project continues to grow in ways that honor our historically Black community’s legacy, its people, and its future,” she said.
