A smallmouth bass leaps from the waters of Crooked Creek, its bronze scales glistening in the sunlight. Nearby, wild turkeys strut through Ozark woodlands, their iridescent feathers shimmering against the landscape.
These scenes, now immortalized in vibrant color on the walls of downtown Yellville, represent more than just artistic expression; they embody the natural heritage and conservation legacy of Marion County, Arkansas.
Renowned Ozark artist Duane Hada officially unveiled these new murals Thursday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony that drew dozens of community members and supporters to the Marion County Courthouse Annex on South Berry Street.
The celebration showcased four murals commissioned by the city and county. Community funding for the project came together quickly, thanks to the help of several community members and organizations.
“This town is full of heroes that are call makers and I’ve got to hunt with some old, legendary guys that were born and raised right here in Marion County, and they know a thing or two. If you can kill a gobbler in Marion County, Arkansas, then you can kill them anywhere,” Hada said during the unveiling.
Marion County Judge Jason Stumph, who was instrumental in providing a wall for one of the murals, spoke about the rapid community support behind the project.
“At this time in Marion County’s history with the natural disasters that we had, I could not commit one cent of taxpayers dollars,” Stumph said. “I said, let me talk to a couple people, Duane said I’ll talk to a couple people. Got within a week, this thing was fully funded.”
Heather Pitman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission expressed appreciation for being included in the celebration.
“We’re really proud of it. We are heading right into our very busy season with students and people from all around the state coming in and visiting us,” Pitman said. “We’re really blessed to be here. I’m from here, so it makes me happy to be here.”
AGFC Commissioner Rob Finley praised Hada’s artistic talents and contributions to the state.
“There’s never been a better scholar for the state, a better artist for the state than Duane Hada,” Finley said. “And it’s not just what you do with art in bringing our natural resources to life on a wall, but it’s the investment you make in the hearts and minds of these young people… The Lord’s blessed you well with the talent, but you’ve taken that and turned it back into something to give back to the community.”
For Hada, the smallmouth bass mural holds special significance. During the unveiling, he recounted catching his first smallmouth as an eight-year-old boy wading in Crooked Creek.
“I can take you right to the rock that’s still there today, where I caught my first smallmouth bass, and that video is burning through my head,” Hada said. “That thing was every bit of eight inches long, but he looked like a 10-pounder the way he fought.”
He added, “I’ve got to fish literally all over the world, and I love catching anything, but you give me one day left to live… it’s here on Crooked Creek for me, because that’s my home. That’s my heritage.”
Baxter Health was another major supporter of the project, commissioning Hada to create a mural for their Ambulance Building in Yellville. Tobias Pugsley, Yellville native and Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Baxter Health, expressed the organization’s gratitude during the ceremony.
“First on behalf of Baxter Health, just want to thank you Duane, your artwork is magnificent,” Pugsley said. “You can travel around the world, and there are people that know Duane and know his artwork, and I think it’s become a staple of the Ozarks, and we’re honored to have it on our building.”
Pugsley added a personal connection to the murals’ significance.
“My son went turkey hunting for the first time over here in Marion County with his grandpa, and so it’s neat to see generationally how Marion County has these resources, and now you got a great artist coming in, like Duane, that can paint that capture that picture for everybody to come and see.”
Sarah Edwards of the Baxter Health Foundation also spoke about the community’s generosity.
“We are so grateful for the generosity that comes from this community, specifically the building that this beautiful new mural is on,” Edwards said. “A while ago, over a decade ago, that building was actually donated by a generous donor in your community that saw a vision to ensure that Baxter Health had access to the patients that were needing ambulance services here.”
The murals represent the latest chapter in Hada’s distinguished career. In 2022, he was inducted into the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame, joining four other inductees including Brad Wimberly, Jeff Lawrence, Bob Butler, and JD Simpson.
When asked about the wild turkey conservation efforts depicted in his mural, Hada explained the historical significance to the region.
“Part of my passion for this — I am a turkey hunter, and Marion County has always been one of the top counties in the state for the densities of wild turkey populations,” Hada said. “A lot of that has to do with some of the conservation from early guys. I remember Vito Waters and guys like that, that were early conservationists, that went and trapped turkeys down the Ouachita mountains, down Muddy Creek, and brought them up on Boat Mountain and kind of shepherded that flock for generations.”
Hada noted that these efforts led to the robust turkey population that made Marion County famous among hunters. “If you look back through the ’70s to the ’90s and up until just a few years ago, Marion County has always been one of the leading areas. It was common to see wild turkeys. You can even hear them gobble right here on the ridges in town, and that’s pretty neat.”
Hada’s journey as an artist began in Boone County, where he developed an early connection to the Ozark landscape. His family moved to Hasty, near Jasper, when he was 13. Despite showing natural talent for art, Hada didn’t take formal art classes until college at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He later transferred to the University of Central Arkansas to pursue an education degree in art.
After teaching high school art for five years in Mena, Hada decided to become a full-time artist. To support himself financially, he became a certified fly fishing instructor and guide, combining his two passions.
Today, Hada operates Rivertown Gallery in Mountain Home, where he displays artwork, teaches students, and accepts commissions. He mentors young artists like Zachary Rorie, who assisted with the new murals.
Throughout the event, locals shared stories of fishing trips and hunting expeditions as they examined the murals. Hada made sure to acknowledge the young artist who assisted him with the work.
“This young man here is Zach Rorie,” Hada said, gesturing to his assistant. “He works for me at my gallery. Here’s probably the thing I love to do is take students and I get free labor. No, no, I actually pay them very well to work for me, and they get some amazing experiences on working on these murals with me. Zach is a very talented artist.”
As the event wrapped up, Hada welcomed everyone to lunch and the ribbon cutting for the Baxter Health mural before giving his final thoughts on the opportunity to create art for a place that he loves to call home.
“It’s more than just that,” Hada continued, gesturing toward the murals. “It’s about the community. It’s about what we do to preserve the heritage of the hunt and the people that are conservationists. Our great connection to just everything that makes Marion County, especially Yellville, the place to live. I love living here. I couldn’t think of any better place to be than right here because of the connection we have.”
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