April 2026 | Vol. 6 Iss. 4
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FHS football player succumbs to cancer Afu Fiefia faced illness with faith and dignity.
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Artist and mom – muralist combines family and creativity By Becky Ginos | becky.g@thecityjournals.com
Brooke Facer was eight months pregnant when she finished the murals for Clearfield City.
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nyone driving downtown in Clearfield will be surprised to see beautiful murals decorating the walls of two buildings, one on Main Street and another on State Street. Artist Brooke Facer was commissioned by Clearfield City to paint both murals to highlight what the city is all about. Facer didn’t let the fact that she was pregnant stop her. “They initially had a call for artists that I responded to,” said Facer. “I worked on the jets (installations done in 2024). There were three artists and we each did three jets for the city. Then one of the artists ended up falling through so they had two jets that needed to be done kind of in a hurried timeline and so they reached out to me because I had already finished up my three and asked if I could take on two more.” Facer said she was happy to do it. “So I did a total of five jets and I had been meeting with the city and different representatives for these design meetings so I think I was top of mind. I was just the first person they reached out to when they were considering doing large scale artwork.” Initially they started the conversation in the winter, she said. “I had just found out I was pregnant the week before and so I said ‘what kind of timeline are we talking about for these murals?’ They told me early spring so I thought that should be doable.” Facer said she signed on. “Then unfortunately they had some delays with contracts and things and so the projects ended up getting pushed back. So I completed the murals in my third trimester.”
It was very hot every day, Facer said. “Some were about 99 degrees. It was the middle of June and the beginning of July when I completed those. I got them all done and then delivered my baby the last week of August.” The city gave her some parameters, she said. They wanted one that embodied more of the city’s history and different elements and aspects of living in Clearfield and then one that honored Hill Air Force Base. So that was kind of the direction I was given.” Facer said she created a couple of different designs and ideas. “Then I worked with the city council to narrow down those design ideas and come up with the final.” So for the history one Facer said she was given some important milestones in Clearfield’s history or industries that are associated with Clearfield. “They said recreational soccer was a big part of living in Clearfield, also steel manufacturing and the Base and some famous people who were from Clearfield. Then they told me I could choose what I’d like to do.” Facer lives in Layton now but was a Clearfield resident for nine years. “So I was able to sort of draw on that.” The mural “Where Dreams Take Flight” all came together inside of the letters that spelled out Clearfield, she said. The second one, “Utah’s Military City,” was kind of interesting, said Facer. “I am a military wife. When I first submitted the design for the F-35s in formation the feedback that I got was that it was too tough looking. I was surprised by that. I was like, ‘isn’t that the point?’ Drawing on some of my military background as a military spouse we were able to compromise in terms of the design.” Having the feedback from them made the design even more successful, she said. “We
Artist Brooke Facer stands on a 65-foot Boom Lift next to her mural “Utah’s Military City.” Facer was eight months pregnant when she finished. Courtesy
got more sunset colors in there and I just feel like it all came together really nice with everyone’s feedback.” One mural is on the south wall of the business complex at 20 N. Main Street and the other is on the south wall of the City Centre Apartments at 70 State Street. “I love the locations they chose,” said Facer. “I think it’s got great visibility and if you’re driving along Main Street you can see them both really great. So overall I was really happy with how they turned out.” This was the largest project Facer had done. “I had to use a 65 foot Boom Lift and that was new to me,” she said. “When I was finished and the rental company came to pick
it up the operator was like ‘Were you the one driving this?’ I said ‘yep,’ and he said, ‘I have never seen a female operator of this big of a lift before and I said, ‘I bet you’ve never seen a pregnant one either.’” Besides being pregnant at the time Facer said she had an 18-month-old baby boy at home when she was working on the murals. “So I had my hands full.” With AI on the rise, Facer said she believes art is something that is very close to people’s hearts. “That’s not something they want a robot doing.” Facer is looking for art commissions and also has an up-cycler business. You can find her on Instagram @rummageandredeem. l