Brent Hale (above) applies yellow paint to his MoonPie and RC Cola mural on the side of the Rave building in downtown Ben Wheeler on Jan. 14. It is the second depiction of ‘a simpler time’ in Ben Wheeler and across America during the early 1 9 0 0 s . BEN WHEELER — Reluctant to compare his work to that of a 20th-century illustrator and painter whose life depictions appeared in The Saturday Evening Post for more than four decades, Texas native Brent Hale sits beneath tarp-covered scaffolding, hurriedly putting the finishing touches on a Norman Rockwell-style mural on the side of the downtown Rave building. “My inspiration for this was probably some of the old wall advertisements in the 1930s and 40s,” Hale said. “I’ve always wanted to do a recreation of an old advertisement, and I thought this would be real awesome.” Trying to beat the wind and rain at the intersection of Farm to Market roads 279 and 858, Hale, 51, moves his brush intently between paints, questioning whether they are as dark or light as they appear beneath the blue tarp. “I have an appreciation for this because I never really had an opportunity to recreate an old wall advertisement. This has a 1940s illustration style, too, with a kind of goofy kid and over-the-top code names. It’s definitely not modern, and it’s got a nostalgic feel to it.” The painting depicts a young boy enjoying a Royal Crown cola and Moon- Pie, a flashback to the early 20th-century advertisments in America. “The ‘Opie-like’ character, the MoonPie and the Royal Crown Cola are all elements that take people back to a simpler, slower-paced time in America,” Veronica Terres said. “Aesthetically, the bright colors and the overall design of the mural is a welcoming addition to Ben Wheeler — an instant conversation piece meant to invite all who pass it by. “We are honored that Brent took part of Brooks’ vision, combined it with his own ideas and created a masterpiece for our community to enjoy and take pride in.” Terres is marketing director for Ben Wheeler Development Company, owned by Brooks Gremmels, who is leading the multimilliondollar effort to revitalize the small Van Zandt County town. Hale praised Gremmels’ work. “I think it’s incredible,” Hale said. “When people stop by and watch me do the murals, they tell stories about what it was like back in the day. They’re just excited about everything he’s doing here. They want to be a part of it, and that’s really cool.” Nearly two years into the project, Moore’s Store, just across FM 279 from the Rave building, has reopened as a family restaurant that features live entertainment several times a week. Hale’s first mural in Ben Wheeler was completed in August inside Moore’s. It depicts the vibrant town in the early 1900s. “It was the first thing I did with Brooks,” Hale said. “Off and on, I worked on it for a couple of months.” The Rave mural took about two weeks to finish. “The MoonPie-RC mural was the brain child of Brooks and Brent — a collaborative idea meant to recreate a bit of nostalgic- Americana advertising in our historic town,” Terres said. MoonPie and RC granted permission to Hale to depict the products, he said. “They loved it.” Elsewhere in Ben Wheeler, five other stores have also opened or are set to open downtown — Flying Fish Gallery, Harrison & Sons Knifesmith, Sojourn Gallery, Whimzee, and Antiques & Texas Heritage. Whimzee and Antiques & Texas Heritage have opened in the Rave building. Hale is expected to open a gallery there as well. Gremmels’ redevelopment started with a single initiative to renovate and reopen Moore’s Store. Almost immediately, landowners approached Ben Wheeler Development Company about selling their properties. Since, Gremmels has acquired about 40 acres in and around downtown for nearly $3 million. The assets include seven acres where a park and lake will be built; old houses that will be refurbished and turned into bed and breakfasts; the Happy Trails Cafe on State Highway 64 that will serve “cowboy food.” When the downtown work is complete, building restoration, park recreation, monuments, bridges, pedestrian paths, and lighting design will have been integrated to create a new Ben Wheeler. Originally named Clough, Ben Wheeler was settled in the early 1900s and renamed after a mail carrier. Hale’s bio and portfolio are at brenthale.com.
Paul Bryant Photos