Mural on Main Street
Artists
unveil Chautauqua-sponsored
Bicentennial mural
The
mural was pieced together
from 16 separate originals
By
Don Ward
Editor
(July 2009) – A mural created for the west outside
wall of Rogers Corner will serve as a tribute to local artists for years
to come – especially since it was created by 16 local artists
who pooled their talents in this unique effort.
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Photo
by Don Ward Artists
attending the June 8 mural |
The mural, sponsored by the Madison Chautauqua Festival
of Art as a gift to the city for the Madison Bicentennial, will become
this year’s Chautauqua poster in September, so area art fans can
enjoy this artwork in their own homes and businesses.
The mural was created in 16 separate sections by each artist, then pieced
together and made into a vinyl mural that was then unveiled on the wall
of Rogers Corner on June 8 as part of Arts Day during the nine-day Bicentennial
celebration. Chautauqua coordinator Georgie Kelly said it was special
to see the various artists, each with his own style, to work together
on a group project like this.
“We met frequently for several months with the artists and I just
sat in the back of the room and listened,” she said. “They
did all the work.”
Hanover-based watercolorist Bill Borden headed the group with Bob Saueressig
to pull the various styles together. He said there were some concerns
at first about how each individual artist’s styles would fit together.
But in the end, that became part of the uniqueness of this work of art.
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Photo
by Don Ward Madison
Mayor Tim Armstrong |
“I was really worried that my type of art would not
fit in with someone as different as say, Lou Knoble, but somehow it
all worked,” said artist Jane Devito.
Seven locations with Main Street visibility were suggested as possible
walls for the mural, and the committee decided they would request permission
for the mural to remain for one year, Kelly said. She contacted the
building owners of several locations. They were willing, but concerns
existed regarding brick condition, unstable stucco and possible repair
costs. After consulting with a building contractor and Pat Heitz and
Troy Seel of Heitz Sign Co., it was determined that hanging a vinyl
mural (similar to a billboard) would be the best strategy.
Harry Dobbins and Stacey Fields, who own Rogers Corner, agreed to host
the hanging mural on the west side of their building at Main and West
streets.
Initial meetings on creating a mural began in May 2008. Kelly met with
six artists – Borden, Saueressig, Kevin Carlson, Eric Phagan,
Larry Rudolech and Patty Cooper Wells.
Borden was asked to chair the committee. Final approval
of each aspect of the project would rest in the hands of the Madison
Chautauqua committee, and the artists agreed.
“The level of enthusiasm from these artists was incredible,”
said Kelly. “They were very positive about the project – and
so excited – that I became even more excited about seeing progression
of the project and the finished mural.”
Mural image suggestions were sought from the arts community, and Rudolech’s
proposed black-and-white photo of a 1920s Madison streetscape was chosen
as the inspiration image. Several artistic approaches were discussed,
and the decision was made to create a colorful quilt-like interpretation
using 16 separate pieces of art.
Borden met with the 16 artists in February 2009. The black-and-white
image was divided into blocks, four across and four down. Each participating
artist would paint their section in their style and interpretation (oil,
watercolor or acrylic) on the material of their choice. Rudolech created
a color palette for the project to give the artists a basic color scheme
to follow.
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Photo
by Don Ward Chris
Heitz of Heitz Sign Co. |
The artists chose to meet every two weeks to check on
their progress. Each meeting revealed the image in more and more detail.
The colors and lines of individual paintings did not exactly match the
ones positioned next to it, but the artists decided to leave it that
way. Adding a space between each original work in the completed presentation
helps the eye adjust to these slight differences and reminds the viewer
that 16 separate and unique paintings create this single composite image.
Seel was the next artist to enter the project. His graphic arts skills
would transform the 16 paintings into the Madison Bicentennial Mural.
He photographed each of the original paintings and created a background
with a header and footer (listing the artists).
A mock-up of the finished mural was approved by the Chautauqua committee
at the April 21 meeting, 19 months since the project began. Upon seeing
the mock-up of the mural that would hang on their building, Rogers Corner
owners Dobbins and Fields were surprised and enthusiastic. They loved
the project and were impressed with the list of participating artists.
They had no idea that the mural image would illustrate the Main and
West street intersection and their building.
“We’re totally excited to be involved,” Dobbins said.
The finished mural image was digitally transferred to a 12x16-foot sheet
of vinyl by Heitz Sign, which hung the mural.
Meantime, the 16 original paintings were signed by the artists and framed
by The Attic. Timber’s Custom Signs designed a special background
mounting for the 16 framed paintings, creating a totally new composite
image of originals that is now on display on a wall inside The Artisan
Gallery, 325 E. Main St.
“This has been a very interesting project for me, and I was able
to be like a fly on the wall as the artists worked together on this
project,” Kelly said. “I knew these artists would create something
for Madison Chautauqua’s Madison Bicentennial Mural that they would
be proud of and, therefore, so would we.”
• The mural, photos of each artist with their individual painting, and brief biographies of each artist are online at: www.MadisonChautauqua.com and at www.RoundAboutMadison.com.