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Downtown Mural faces plagiarism accusations

Jenna Brownlee's mural (top) and Ridge Bonnick's mural (bottom) side-by-side
Jenna Brownlee's mural (top) and Ridge Bonnick's mural (bottom) side-by-side

Courtesy of Jenna Brownlee (top) and Main Street Apopka (bottom)

Main Street Apopka revealed local artist Ridge Bonnick’s Downtown Mural last Friday, Aug. 22, at Domino’s Pizza, but within days Iowa muralist Jenna Brownlee said the design was her own. 

“That design was based on my research for a community in Ankeny, Iowa that I put so much thought and intention into as it was my first outdoor mural,” Brownlee said in an Instagram direct message to Bonnick on Friday. “Respectfully, as artists, we should know how important integrity, authenticity and credit is.” 

After The Apopka Chief published a story on the mural reveal event on Facebook, several users pointed out the similarity between Bonnick’s and Brownlee’s murals.
 
“This designs [sic] belongs to a different artist named Jenna Brownlee,” user Jessica Fonseca commented. “This is both disrespectful to her as the original designer/artist and the rest of the mural artist community.”  

Brownlee completed the mural in question in 2017 at The District at Prairie Trail, an entertainment center in Ankeny, Iowa. Both murals feature similar elements, including identical lettering, a floral frame for photo ops, road signs and more. Each element has a similar placement, and the color scheme is almost identical. 

Since Main Street Apopka commissioned Bonnick’s mural, the nonprofit issued a statement on its social media platforms Tuesday. 

“We sincerely apologize to Mrs. Brownlee and to our community,” Main Street Apopka said. “As a nonprofit dedicated to revitalize our historic downtown, we strive to uplift artists and act with integrity. We are now in direct communication with Mrs. Brownlee to properly acknowledge her work and provide fair compensation.” 

Brownlee also released a statement on her Instagram profile a few hours after Main Street Apopka issued its own. 

“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all who have offered support during this time,” Brownlee said. “This has been difficult to navigate, especially when my life’s work has always been about bringing people together through art.” 

Bonnick also took issue with the way he was treated. 

“Seeing that y’all did not add me to that apology when y’all know fully well how this process went and how y’all went about it—y’all keep trying to save yourself from a lawsuit,” Bonnick said to Main Street Apopka in an Aug. 26 video he posted to Instagram.  

Bonnick said Main Street Apopka gave him the sketch and did not allow him to deviate from it. 

“I was given a sketch by the organizers of the project and asked to paint it with very little room for my own creative input,” Bonnick said in an Instagram direct message to Brownlee, which he posted on his Instagram story. “I didn’t know that the sketch was based on your original work, and I didn’t understand how serious this issue was.” 

In another message to Brownlee, Bonnick said Main Street Apopka wanted him to stay silent while the nonprofit handled the issue. But Bonnick has said many social media users blame him for stealing the design. 

Facebook user Mickie Holmes shared a response Bonnick wrote in the comments section of Main Street Apopka’s Instagram statement.  

“At the end of the day, it took me a month to do your work, not knowing I’d have to deal with copyright issues or public bullying because of it,” Bonnick said in the now-removed comment. “The fact that I wasn’t included in your apology, and that you’ve allowed people to bash me without correction, is simply wrong. I don’t care what anyone thinks; karma works both ways.” 

The city of Apopka acknowledged its dispersion of $12,500 to Main Street Apopka in an Aug. 27 press release. The city gave the funds to the nonprofit to support downtown Apopka’s economic growth.

“Additionally, no City of Apopka officials or staff had any involvement in the selection of the art or artist, nor the commissioning of the downtown mural,” the release said. “The City Administrator’s office is reviewing this unfortunate issue with Main Street Apopka to gather more information and determine if any action regarding the funding agreement is required.”

Those wishing to view the funding agreement between the city and Main Street Apopka may do so here.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the city’s statement.

Author

  • Sarah Merly is an administrative assistant and correspondent for The Apopka Chief. She joined the Chief in May 2025 after graduating from Patrick Henry College's journalism program in Washington, D.C. In her spare time, Sarah loves watching rom-coms, visiting Disney, and throwing parties.

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