John Augustus Walker 1851 Words8 Pages John Augustus Walkerâs (1901-1967) Historical Panorama of Alabama Agriculture, or fair murals, were created in the spring of 1939. Each mural, about 7 ½ feet by 5 ½ feet, hang today in the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, at Auburn University. These ten murals were made to represent the âvision of the futureâ in the south during 1939. Depicted in each of the murals are key milestones in the agricultural development of the state of Alabama; ranging from Alabamaâs First Farmer to Science on the Farm. These murals were said to be âA series of bold, nostalgic paintings at the 1939 Alabama State Fair that helped visitors to forget world troubles and celebrate their collective past.â Walker used bright tempura paints, in greens, yellows, and blues, on the vast landscapes and farm life scenes to attract viewers in hopes of educating farmers and non-farmers of improvements in agriculture. John Augustus Walker was an artist based out of Mobile, Alabama. He was born February 9, 1901 to John L. Walker and Lilly Roche Walker. âWalker was first encouraged to pursue art by his teacher Maud Mayme Simpson during his years at elementary school in the Mobile County School System. At age 16, Walker entered the work force as a stenographer for real estate agent F. M. Backes to augment the family