Banks Compton sits in one of his grandmother's rocking chairs and admires his most recent mural in Linden, Alabama.
It's one of three murals he painted this year in the Black Belt city, population 2,000. Compton, who spent his early childhood in Mobile before the family moved to Demopolis, is quickly becoming known for his vibrant murals that are helping to bring communities together.
March 4, 2023
Banks Compton is always looking for an excuse to chat; it’s one of the reasons painting murals suits him so well.
“I love painting murals and having people in the community stop by and talk to me,” Compton said. “That’s probably my favorite way to work is just explain what I’m doing, teach them about how I paint something that large and learn more about where these people are from. That, to me, is super gratifying.”
Compton, a full-time mural artist living in Foley, Ala., loves how accessible murals are as an art form.
“Murals serve as a relatively inexpensive way to really transform an area,” Compton said. “It makes walking safer; murals actually slow down traffic because people are looking at the artwork. It puts a smile on people’s faces. I think they do a lot of communal good.”
Compton often finds himself in Pensacola, though, with friends he has made here. His goal is to paint a mural in all 50 states; so far, he’s done four: Alabama, Mississippi, Arizona and Rhode Island.
Spoiler alert—he hopes Florida is next—maybe even Pensacola.
ALABAMA ONE CREDIT UNION'S NEW MURAL SYMBOLIZES ALBERTA'S POST-2011 REBIRTH
A new mural on the wall of Alabama One credit union in Alberta is a bit more than a nice painting. The mural, done by Demopolis born artist Banks Compton, is a symbol of the the rebirth of the community that was badly ravaged by the 2011 tornado.
MURAL ARTIST PAINTS UP PASCAGOULA
Bill Synder
WLOX
Feb 2, 2023
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WLOX) - So many times we’ve heard about the pandemic ruining businesses or personal journeys. In the case of Banks Compton, the pandemic actually helped him find what he really wanted to do.
“I had a career in New York building decor for luxury events, and because the hospitality industry took a huge hit, I went off and got into mural painting,” Compton said.
He’s done them in Arizona, Rhode Island, and now Alabama and Mississippi.
MEET BANKS COMPTON
April 7, 2022
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I paint murals mostly now. I love to create larger-than-life landscapes.
I like to distort the landscape and add pops of surprising color to create a sense of joy and energy. I am most proud of a recent mural I completed in Linden, Alabama. This mural was one of the first steps in revitalizing the small town. It has had a transformative impact on the town and its people.
COMPTON BRINGS ART ON A LARGE SCALE TO WELCOME LINDEN VISITORS
March 10, 2022
Maybe it was working on the Christmas on the River floats when he was in high school or creating the iconic rooster cutout for Rooster Day.
It could have been the summer he worked for Kerns Studios in New Orleans creating Mardi Gras floats.
Whatever piqued his interest, Banks Compton now creates art on a large scale. The latest is a mural on the side of a building owned by Pat and Lee Akins. It welcomes people to Linden as they travel south on U.S. Hwy. 43.
MEET BANKS COMPTON | ARTIST, GRAPHIC DESIGNER, AND EVENT ENTHUSIAST
January 4, 2022
I paint and draw stories from life. I like to think of my art as visual poetry. Like poetry, my art isn’t always literal, but there is a cadence to my work that reflects the highs and lows of life. I draw inspiration from traditions and stories passed down through time. I set myself apart from others because of my approach to painting. I see each painting as an opportunity to unearth a story understood by everyone through a perspective that is unique to me. I do not aim to criticize but rather celebrate, the glory and mystery of life’s adventure.
COMPTON ADMITTED TO RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN
May 27, 2017
Banks Compton is unshaken that he will not attend his senior year of high school. He is not bothered by the fact that the institutional doors he will darken in September are exactly 1,265 miles away from the halls of Demopolis High School. For Banks, all the reasons not to go pale in comparison to the one big reason to go.
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