Friday, March 30, 2012

March 30th, our 65th Vero Beach Mural Painting Session

NOTE: The Vero Beach Mural Project is being Sponsored by the Vero Beach Art Club as a gift to the City.  The artist members of the Vero Beach Art Club who are volunteering their time and talents are Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.com/)  Dawn Mill (Project Manager) and Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com).   Examples of artists' work can also be found on www.verobeachartclub.org/) The Mural consists of six stretched canvas panels, 36' long by 8' high, each panel 8' x 6'.  Created in and for the Community Center, in their "Florida Room," 2266 14th Avenue, 772-978-4592.  Visitors are welcome to watch the artists paint between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays.

Actually jumped from 63rd to 65th painitng session because I forgot to take pictures when I was at the Community Center on Monday. 

So all three of us were working on the mural today, although Christine had to leave at 1:00 for work, and Dawn and I were gone from 2:00-3:15 for a monthly meeting at the Artists Guild Gallery where we are memeber/partners.  But we got a lot of good time in today on the panels, putting us nearer to the end game.

Christine worked on several schools of fish which tied in several sections rather nicely, and softened the large expanse of her manatees.  It was great having her back working with us.  However Dawn and I worked right up to the last minute and in our haste I didn't get a photo of Christine's accomplishments for the day.  Sorry Christine, I'll post them on Monday night.

Dawn worked today on creepy-crawly critters on Panel #5, and some pretty shells.


Dawn Maill painting in details on Panel #5
Below you can see Dawn's progress, painting in some cute little crabs (including a "fiddler"), a snake and some birds.
Detail of Dawn Mill's Panel #5, Beachside - New crabs, shells, birds


Detail of Dawn's crab and conch shell




Detail of Dawn's carb and snake

Sam Wolfe, a staff photographer from the Press Journal stopped by in the morning to take photos of the mural, perhaps to be a feature story in the near future.  He was very impressed with the size and quality of the mural.  We had a nice chat while he was there.
Sam Wolfe from the Press Journal took pictures today for a feature article
As for myself, seems like I got a lot done today, putting my panels that much closer to completion.  It's been a great time with us all, but we are looking forward to having those free days (which will probably later be filled with more art obligations or art projects!).  Below is an Hispanic mom and child which I refined a little more today, but still needs more work (Child's arm was too long!).  I've added a petunia basket on the lamppost which the Town recently did to spiff up the area.  There is still a good deal of blending work to do in the street yet.


Detail of Judy Burgarella's Panel #1, Downtown Vero Beach. 
 I have added some more deer into the pasture, which is a common sight in Florida.

Panel #2, deer in the distance
  I also added a lot more clouds and wrapped a white cloud around the airplane sign to emphasize it less.  There is also a cute frog that I have painted in on the bottom of Panel #2--but more on him later.  Had a lot of fun painting in the below woodstork, which flies in the sky on also on Panel #2.


Judy Burgarella's Woodstork on Panel #2
 
Well, that's all for now folks, it's already Monday (12:45 am) and I'll be hopefully posting again tonight after another day's painting session with Christine and Dawn, so check back tomorrow night.

Ciou!
Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

Friday, March 23, 2012

March 23rd, our 63rd Vero Beach Mural Painting Session

NOTE: The Vero Beach Mural Project is being Sponsored by the Vero Beach Art Club as a gift to the City.  The artist members of the Vero Beach Art Club who are volunteering their time and talents are Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.com/)  Dawn Mill and Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com).   Examples of artists' work can also be found on www.verobeachartclub.org/) The Mural consists of six stretched canvas panels, 36' long by 8' high, each panel 8' x 6'.  Created in and for the Community Center, in their "Florida Room," 2266 14th Avenue, 772-978-4592.  Visitors are welcome to watch the artists paint between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays.

Today, Friday, Dawn and I were at the mural all day.  We had a couple of visitors in the morning, and in the afternoon Rita Ziegler (President of the VB Art Club) and her husband George, and Rita's sister-in-law Jean.  Dawn explained the old and new mural to them, we chatted a while, and they were on their way.  Shortly thereafter, Judith Ragusa, our fellow Artists Guild Gallery member, came by and was blown away.  After painting all day it was good to hear such positive responses.

Dawn made progress on her Panel #5, with the children on the beach.  Her boogieboard boy is finished, having given her a good deal of trouble as she tried to combine several images into one to use as a reference--a very difficult process. She has finally nailed him and is now ready to tackle another section. 


Dawn Mill's Panel #5,

Pictured below is Dawn's complete Panel #5, which is getting close to being finished.

Dawn Mill's Panel #5

I worked today on details of Panel #1, painting the logo of "Natalie's" Citrus Company on the 2nd car of the train, and painting in a Hispanic mom and daughter to represent the strong Hispanic history and presence in Vero Beach.


Judy Burgarella's Panel #1 Detail
Pictured below are all but one panel (Christine's #6), and as you can see they flow seamlessly into each other.
Panels #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
Below is detail on my Panel #1, an Hispanic Mom and Child.
Detail of Judy Burgarella's Panel #1
Pictured below is my panel #2 alongside Dawn's panel #3 - they flow seamlessly from one habitat to another, as if one person painted it.  Same thing with Christine's work, we are very similar in style and stroke.
Judy Burgarella's Panel #2 alongside Dawn Mill's Panel #3
Our creative psyche is finally getting fodder once again as we paint together in chatter and in concentrated silence.  Hopefully this project will be completed this spring, and we can plan a hard launch.  This project has enjoyed a soft launch via the blog for some time now, and we are anxious to see what it looks like installed in its final exhibit space.

Well, that's all for now folks.  Stop by the blog Monday night and perhaps you'll see more.  Or better still, stop by the Community Center and see it for yourself--it's a sight to behold!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

Monday, March 19, 2012

March 19th, our 62nd Vero Beach Mural Painting Session

NOTE: The Vero Beach Mural Project is being Sponsored by the Vero Beach Art Club as a gift to the City.  The artist members of the Vero Beach Art Club who are volunteering their time and talents are Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.com/)  Dawn Mill and Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com).   Examples of artists' work can also be found on www.verobeachartclub.org/) The Mural consists of six stretched canvas panels, 36' long by 8' high, each panel 8' x 6'.  Created in and for the Community Center, in their "Florida Room," 2266 14th Avenue, 772-978-4592.  Visitors are welcome to watch the artists paint between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays.

Today is Monday, March 19th, posting also for Friday, March 16th (I forgot to take photos).  Friday Dawn and I were finally at it again after a lengthy break from the mural, getting ready for Under The Oaks, the biggest show the Vero Beach Art Club puts on, rated the best outdoor art and craft show in Florida.  Unfortunately, it rained all day Sunday, soaking us all to the bone.  However we had 2 other days of decent weather and sales.  Friday former mayor Jay Kramer stopped by and chatted a while with Dawn and I, and was very impressed with the quality.  We should be done soon.

So Friday Dawn worked on her surfer boy on the beach, and fine tuned some of the foliage and flowers along the beach, and worked on some of her buidings.  Unless you look close, her panels look just about finished, but there still are railings, palm trees, people, etc. she has to put in.
Dawn Mill's Panel #5
Dawn worked on tedious railings and windows, and put some of the finishing touches on a few of her buildings on Ocean Drive.
Dawn Mill's Panels #4 and #5 - beach and building progress
 Dawn's turtles are so adorable.  Being a long-time Vero Beach resident, she has seen the baby turtles race for their lives to the water's edge on many a moonlit nght.  I have yet to see this, but it is a common sight at a certain time of year they say.

It's been a while since the below two panels of the mural have been paired together, so enjoy this beautiful sight, and have fun finding all the critters!

Dawn Mill's Panels #3 and #4
I made a lot of progress on my two panels (#1 and #2) on Friday and I came in Monday also.  Christine is unable to pitch in lately because of her job, and today she has the flu.  Dawn is working, so I was by my lonely today.

Below is pictured panel #1, where I changed the sky to a more believable stormy look.  Reason for that gray is so that it will match up with the other 10-year-old mural that ends with smokey 4th of July fireworks.  They may well someday be hung alongside each other--can you imagine how fabulous that would look!?  The 17th Street Bridge was painted in and some sailboats.  I also finished up the tree above Alma Lee Loy's head.

Below is panel #2, where I was able to paint in the Piper plane pulling a banner with our names on it.  I had to paint the plane and banner upside down in order to get at it, and unfortunately I should have taken a better look, because the banner is way too big.  Darned lettering took me forever, but I'll have to redo next time. Recreation Director Rob Slezak noted that I spelled my name wrong, upside down.  We had a good laugh on that one.  Painting upside down is very tricky.  I actually painted the plane upside down to, but it was an interesting challenge. 

Judy Burgarella's Panel #2
 I was able to move the rat snake to make way for the vulture, painted in a mama deer and fawn, and have a frog roughed in on the bottom left side.  Below are some details of additions to the mural.

Piper Airplane, almost finished


Vulture and Mama deer with fawn

Mural Legend as banner waving behind plane, which needs to be made smaller

Rough-in in of a froggie
Well, that's all for now folks.  It was great painting again all day--I rearely get to do that at home--although I missed my buddies.  Friday we'll be back at it again, so be sure to check out the blog Friday night (or Saturday if not done).

Judy Burgarell
Blogger for the
Vero Beach Mural Project