BAY MINETTE – Butterflies, dragonflies, sunflowers, kites and cats are popping up all over downtown Bay Minette.

That’s because the Old Town Bay Minette Arts Council is hard at work trying to improve the image of the city. And one of the quickest ways to make an impact is a little paint. But instead of painting the buildings, they are painting original artwork in the windows.

“We started with the vacant buildings because we didn’t want them to look empty,” said member Tina Covington. “It’s a small step, but it only takes a spark to ignite a fire.”

The little spark is already starting to heat up not only the downtown crowd but people all over Bay Minette.

“It instills a sense of pride in our community and people are talking about it all over town,” said Rebecca Cheshire, director of the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. “And this is part of our strategic plan at the chamber.”

The group started painting the windows of vacant buildings, but hope the project will spread to other buildings.

More than just window dressings, the artwork is part of the OTBMAC plan to create an art trail throughout the downtown area. Businesses and offices are encouraged to hang the works of local artists in their storefronts and windows.

The art trail started in May, along with a 1-mile walking path through the downtown area.

Since its inception, the arts council has sponsored several Market Days featuring handmade and handcrafted items, held its first Candy Cane Christmas, sponsored a Spring Art event, and developed an Art Trail in downtown Bay Minette. The focus of the group, according to its vision statement, is to “help Bay Minette’s own unique individuality emerge” by working to “foster and grow a community spirit of imagination, inspiration and innovation.”

Recently, the Heritage Junior Women’s Club presented its annual Justice Lyn Stuart Community Service Award to the arts council, recognizing the group for making a big impact in the community through its new projects.

“It came as such as a surprise, and at just the right time,” said founding member Judy Pimperl. “We were having one of those periods of doubts where we wondered if our hard work was making a difference. This gave us the affirmation and motivation to continue what we are doing. People were noticing and appreciating.”

Cheshire spearheaded the push to create the art trail and walking path.

“In my experience, business development has to be rooted in community development. One of the most effective ways to do this is through art,” she said. “There is an enormous amount of evidence to support the fact that people become more connected with their environment when it is made more aesthetically pleasing. Once people begin to connect, they begin to engage because they want to be part of something positive. Then people think about starting businesses so that they can be part of the change.”

The art trail and walking path is the start to this process. It gives people the chance to reconnect to the downtown area while promoting community health through walking. The brochure for the walk gives a brief history of each building, park and street that people pass along the walk.

The art trail begins and ends at the library. It runs along 2nd Street and makes a winding loop around the county courthouse and beside the Community Kids Park before returning.

For more information about Old Town Bay Minette Art Council, visit the group’s Facebook page or call Pimperl at 251-937-3572. Those interested can also attend a meeting on the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Bay Minette Public Library. Membership is $10 per artist, $25 for families or $20 for patrons.