September 19th, Our 29th Mural Painting Session

 c)2011 Judy Burgarella, Dawn Mill, Christine Thomas

 NOTE: The Vero Beach Mural Project is being Sponsored by the Vero Beach Art Club, and created by Artist Volunteers Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.com/)  Dawn Mill and Christine Thomas.   Examples of artists' work can be found on www.verobeachartclub.org/) The Mural consistes of six tretched canvas panels, 36' long by 8' high, each panel 8' x 6'.  Created in and for the Community Center, in their "Florida Room."  Visitors are welcome to watch the artists paint between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays.


When I arrived at the mural late today (with Munchkins in hand), the video meeting was already in progress.  Our videographer, Bob Barbour, was discussing the interview process which will commence Friday.  Sue Dinenno will be the interviewer, and she was there rehearsing her questions with us.  It was an interesting exchange of opinions, information and observations.  Not to sound trite, but we three--myself, Christine and Dawn--get along fabulously, our painting styles are similar enough that our designs and brushstrokes flow flawlessly into each other's panels, and we just have a good time all day painting.  In fact, we lament when it's time to go, and wish we could paint into the night once we get our "mojo" going.  And what in the world are we going to do with all that extra time when it's over?  (A-HA! PAINT!)  There will be a new mural project starting up soon on the corner of 60 eastbound and Route #1, (also sponsored by the Vero Beach Art Club) and I hope they enjoy their painting and comaraderie as much as we do.

Now on to the mural.  Since the meeting took so long, and we had some visitors, and setup takes 45 minutes or so, we got very little accomplished in the morning.  Then it was lunch, so we hopped in my car and cruised Old Dixie looking for someplace to eat, then we came upon Kountry Kitchen at 1749 Old Dixie Highway.  Cozy breakfast/lunch-type place, very casual dining but good wholesome food.  Christine had the chimmychanga which was delicious, and Dawn and I had the double-decker BLT, one of the best I've had.  So now we are food critics. 

My friends (and next-door neighbors) Julianne and Mike Konopacky stopped by to check the progress of the mural.  They offered to take some photos that I can use in the mural, which was very generous of them.  Barry Shapiro, owner of Lighthouse Art and Framing http://www.lighthouseartandframing.com/ stopped by and marveled at the progress and beauty of what had been completed so far.  Besides his busy life as a business owner, he volunteers generously for the Vero Beach Art Club, and is a staunch supporter of the arts.

I digress again.  So Christine spent some time looking at research images (as did I), and finally found herself a cute little crab, which she is working on below with Panel #6.  She was not happy with her rendering, which is common for her--she is her own worst critic and has no need to be.  Her panel is absolutely delightful, and proof of the fact is that the children who saw it today as we were closing up, said they liked the manatees best.  Children are drawn to the mural like a magnet, and we hope to have the finished product very child-friendly, amusing and educational.  There will be a legend binder that will contain all kinds of information on the animals and vegetation pictured within the mural.  Once the mural is completed we will work on the legend.  As you can see below, Christine's palette and apron is a MESS!  But then, so are mine and Dawns.  In fact, we almost always have paint on our hands and clothes, and since this project I have accumulated a closet full of clothes with odd color splotches on them.  Ah, the life of an artist!


Christine Thomas working on her cute little Crab on Panel #4



Dawn is moving right along on her panel #7, roughly mapping in some greenery, seagull, and layering in children building a sandcastle.  She will be painting in some turtles and other creatures found in and around beach dunes, and adding many people enjoying the exquisite vacation-like environment that is our beautiful shoreline.

Dawn Mill working on her Panel #5

Below is my panel #1, which seeing it again seems almost like watching paint dry.  You can hardly tell what I did on it today, with all those interruptions and it being a short day too because of having to pack up for the room's next occupant.  But if you look really close you'll see that I've moved the street on the left (21st Street) farther from the edge of the canvas to make room for the Alma Lee Loy Chamber of Commerce building near the tracks.  I've scumbled in some roofs and buildings just above what will be Route 1, painted in a window with green awning, Added rooftops to the buildings, and narrowed down Route 1.


Panel #1, Downtown Vero Beach by Judy Burgarella

 My mind was distracted today though, after having received a fresh picture last night of my 2-month-old granddaughter Salem, who lives in California with her mom and dad.  Our first grandchild, and probably the most beautiful baby I've ever seen.   Below is roughly scumbled in renderings of Rita Ziegler, my buddy and the president of the Vero Beach Art Club, and myself on the right, pictured thinking about my adorable granddaughter so far away.  (I just had to figure out a way to get her into this blog.  Now to figure out a way to get her into the mural!)
 

Detail of Panel #1 Downtown Vero Beach. "Judy thinks about her granddaughter, Salem"

Dawn will be painting again tomorrow, and I just may join her, depending on how ambitious I feel in the morning.  Perhaps I'll just stay home and use the time to map out my panel #2, western Vero woodlands.  If not, check back on Friday when I will surely post that day's progress.  Hopefully Panel #2 will be pretty well mapped out.  Stay tuned!
Regards,
Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project