Mural completed November 2019. Artists are Kelly & Ty Tompkins of Hive Appeal.
This mural is part of a family’s heartbreaking story. After learning of Aubery Howard’s return of cancer, the family, owners of AE Howard Flooring in Enid, OK, commissioned us to paint a mural on their building. The family has had many adventures traveling together, and they wanted something representative of that, including cactus.
I immediately realized how a flowering cactus represents them, blooming and focusing on beauty, despite painful spines. Aubery asked for the words “you can” and a shadow of a cross to be included, so we painted the words in his handwriting.
Sadly, Aubery passed away the day before we finished the mural, just a few days before Thanksgiving.
We left the center cactus unfinished and invited anyone to write messages of encouragement to Aubery and his family. Several dozen messages are there, with more added the weekend of his funeral.
Our hearts go out to the family, friends, and employees. We hope Aubery was able to see his finished mural, and we hope his loved ones are able to focus on beauty.