Alabama Mural Artist
Transforming Alabama Walls Into Landmarks
Banks Compton is an Alabama-born mural artist and RISD alumnus creating large-scale murals and public art throughout Alabama and across the United States.
From Birmingham and Huntsville to Tuscaloosa, Mobile, Foley, and small towns throughout rural Alabama, his murals are designed to tell the stories of the communities, businesses, and organizations they represent.
Each project begins with research, conversation, and collaboration to create artwork that feels specific to its location—transforming ordinary walls into memorable landmarks.
Explore Alabama Murals ↓
Featured Alabama Mural Projects
Foley Community Library
Foley, Alabama
Approximately 1,500 square feet of storybook-inspired murals and a custom sculptural reading tree transform the children's section of Foley Community Library into an immersive environment centered on reading, imagination, and discovery.
Legacy Arena at the BJCC
Birmingham, Alabama
Created for Legacy Arena's 50th anniversary, this commemorative mural celebrates five decades of music, sports, and entertainment history at one of Birmingham's most recognizable venues.
Alabama ONE Credit Union
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
A community-focused exterior mural celebrating the history, landmarks, landscape, and identity of Alberta City in Tuscaloosa.
Starbucks
Huntsville, Alabama
Created for Starbucks at MidCity, this site-specific mural combines Huntsville's Rocket City identity with NASA's Artemis program, the moon, coffee plants, nature, and the imagery of the goddess Artemis.
Murals Across Alabama
Banks' mural work can be found in communities throughout the state, including Birmingham, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Mobile, Foley, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Opelika, Decatur, Demopolis, Linden, Livingston, Eutaw, Boligee, Northport, Summerdale, Atmore, Thomasville, Dothan, and other Alabama communities.
Projects range from large-scale public murals and community landmarks to artwork for libraries, businesses, educational facilities, tourism organizations, entertainment venues, and national brands.
Whether working in one of Alabama's largest cities or a rural community, Banks approaches each mural as an opportunity to create artwork rooted in the identity of its location.
Murals That Tell a Story
A mural should do more than fill an empty wall.
Banks' work often begins by researching the history, environment, culture, and people connected to a location. Local landmarks, plants, animals, historic photographs, community stories, and unexpected details can then become part of the finished artwork.
The goal is to create murals that could not simply be moved from one city to another.
A mural in Huntsville might tell a story about space exploration. A mural in Tuscaloosa might preserve pieces of neighborhood history. A children's library can become a storybook landscape, while a small-town mural can turn an overlooked wall into a recognizable community landmark.
That site-specific approach allows each project to reflect the people who will live alongside it.
Murals for Cities & Communities
Public art can help communities create landmarks, celebrate local history, encourage tourism, revitalize overlooked spaces, and build community pride.
Banks has worked with municipalities, tourism organizations, community groups, educational programs, and public institutions throughout Alabama to create artwork designed specifically for the places it serves.
Community involvement can also become part of the process through workshops, youth programs, public painting opportunities, and conversations with local residents.
Murals for Businesses & Organizations
Custom murals give businesses and organizations an opportunity to tell their story visually while creating a memorable experience for customers, employees, and visitors.
Banks has created artwork for local businesses, financial institutions, libraries, entertainment venues, manufacturers, tourism organizations, and nationally recognized brands.
Each design is developed collaboratively so the finished artwork reflects both the client's identity and the community surrounding it.
The Mural Process
1. Start the Conversation
Every project begins with the wall, location, goals, and ideas behind the mural. Banks works with clients to understand what they want the artwork to communicate and how people will experience the finished space.
2. Develop the Design
Research, photographs, local stories, brand elements, and client ideas are developed into a custom mural concept. Feedback and collaboration help refine the design before painting begins.
3. Paint the Mural
Once the design is approved, Banks transfers the artwork to the wall and paints the mural at full scale using professional materials selected for the location and surface.
4. Create a Landmark
The finished mural becomes part of the space—whether its purpose is to tell a community story, create a destination, strengthen a brand, or simply make an environment more memorable.
About Banks Compton
Banks Compton is an Alabama-born muralist and fine artist and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Before becoming a full-time mural artist, he worked as a large-scale artist building Mardi Gras floats in New Orleans and later created custom décor for luxury events in New York City.
Today, Banks creates murals throughout Alabama and across the United States. His work is influenced by storytelling, nature, local culture, and the belief that public art should reflect the people and places surrounding it.
His projects range from large public installations and community murals to artwork for libraries, businesses, educational facilities, and national brands.
Looking for a Mural Artist in Alabama?
Whether you're planning a mural for a city, business, library, school, development, public space, or community organization, every project begins with a conversation.
Banks works with clients throughout Alabama and the Southeast to develop custom artwork tailored to the wall, location, audience, and story behind the project.