Outdoor art to adorn downtown
Photo
Design for proposed downtown Janesville mural.
JANESVILLE — The first of three murals in Janesville's Outdoor Art Campaign will be on display Thursday and soon will be hanging from a prominent downtown building.
"This is a project that will hopefully be the start of a long-term effort to bring outdoor art on permanent display in the downtown," said Christine Moore, managing director of the Janesville Design & Development Center.
The design center is close to an agreement with a property owner on a building site for the first mural.
Two more murals will follow as the organization raises money to produce them.
The theme is Janesville's early history and will feature the reasons—agriculture, the river and the railroad—that Janesville became the community it is today.
"You can see from Janesville's early history why the community developed the way it did," Moore said.
A central figure in each mural will represent the working people who built Janesville. Other historical figures and places familiar to Janesville residents will be pictured in the background. Henry James, for example, is in the first mural that represents agriculture. The design will be on display at the Jackson Square open house Thursday.
The artist is Ron Wick of Rockford, Ill.
The art will be displayed on large canvases to be hung from buildings. The canvases are more durable than the traditional paint on brick, Moore said.
The total project for the three murals is about $69,000, and so far the development center has raised about $9,000.
"We certainly hope that once people see the first mural up that people will get excited," she said.
Moore still is looking for mural locations. The buildings must have a good-quality wall surface to hold a 25-by-30-foot mural.
Future phases of the Outdoor Art Campaign might include historical markers or statues of key community leaders, Moore said.
"I do think this is an exciting time to be referencing the history of Janesville. In spite of the challenges of this year, we have a terrific history of taking advantage of the opportunities that are around.
"We have a history of working-class people building this community," Moore said. "That's what these murals honor, and I think it is a way of hopefully giving some inspiration as we go forward, as we try to redefine ourselves in this new age."
ART FUNDRAISER
A silent auction to raise money for the Outdoor Art Campaign will be held in conjunction with the Jackson Square open house Thursday.
Featured will be four tickets to the Nov. 16 Packers vs. Bears game at Lambeau Field, weekend luxury vehicle rental, rounds of golf, original art, dance lessons, guitar lessons, entertainment, food and gifts.
The auction will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at Jackson Square, 14-26 S. Jackson St.
Oct 8, 2008 at 5:17 p.m.
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I do wish somebody would touch up the Art that you can see off of milwaukee st. It is a moon and sky on the side of legends up high. I think- can never remember exactly where it is. I have only been driving by all my 37 yrs. but always thought is was cool as a kid and still do but needs touched up!!
Oct 8, 2008 at 5:15 p.m.
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walker- not sure you have to worry about this one. i would think they are raising the money PER piece. I do agree raise the money auctions etc for those that want to help with this and leave the tax payers out. we have enough to pay for. I can also think of better ways to use tax payer money than on a mural project- like repairing down town or use it to pick up the trash laying down town which if people had manors and were polite they wouldnt throw it on the ground in the first place.
Oct 8, 2008 at 5:11 p.m.
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proartist- good point. but as so mentioned maybe it is a larger project than a local water color artist can do. Or a special painting, faux finish painter can do. You should come to the auction and ask this question.
walker- is the donut you refer to the inside of his hat?
Oct 8, 2008 at 2:18 p.m.
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Is that a donut on the poster, up near the top?
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If they can't raise the funds needed, with the taxpayers bail them out?
Oct 8, 2008 at 2:03 p.m.
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"In spite of the challenges of this year, we have a terrific history of taking advantage of the opportunities that are around." - Could someone enlighten....if this is the case, why was an artist from outside Janesville (even outside Wisconsin!) hired for this project when the local economy is in such dire shape and when so many extremely talented Janesville-area artists are unemployed? Were they not considered, was the scope of the work considered beyond their capabilities, or were area artists simply not interested in applying for the project?
Oct 8, 2008 at 12:21 p.m.
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there are MANY great things at the auction to pick from not listed. even a craft item from a fellow blogger.
Oct 8, 2008 at 11:58 a.m.
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It's pretty, but my inner art critic says this is more of a poster than a mural. It doesn't say anything or tell a story. Too bad; I guess I was hoping for something more.
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