Chances are you've noticed blank walls blooming into art canvases around Rutherford County. As businesses and local groups seek to encourage public art, creatives are busy making our cityscape not only more beautiful, but more exciting for exploring and sight-seeing. Not to mention, they're perfect for Instagram posts!

To celebrate the growing displays of local color, the kids and I partnered with friend and local photographer Angel Pardue and her son to create a photo shoot with seven of our favorite murals in Smyrna and Murfreesboro (this is by no means comprehensive-- there are many more and more in the works). With a few props, a lot of M&M's, and a healthy helping of goofiness, we had a blast posing and snapping away.

The murals made great backdrops for a family photo shoot, but it was also a great way to talk with the kids about colors, paint, and images ("They are artists just like me!" exclaimed my paint-loving 4 year old).

The walk also gave us more reason to explore the businesses that host the murals, so in other words, we got to be tourists in our own city in the best way.

This Saturday, Oct. 19, families can get in on helping create and celebrate downtown's newest public art mural at the inaugural Rutherford County Arts Alliance Mural Festival. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., ages 16 and up can paint in the outline created by Norris Hall and other artists of the RAA at Vine Street Marketplace at 117 E. Vine Street. Young creatives will be able to make their own mural in the children's area and enjoy other activities.

Check out our favorites in the slideshow above. All images by Angel Pardue Photography.

Learn more about the city's creative movement, local murals, and the festival at rutherfordartsalliance.org.

Laura Beth Payne is a writer mama living in the Blackman Community of Murfreesboro with her husband Nathan and their two children. Follow @murfreesboromama on Facebook and Instagram for more family fun in and around the city.