Save the Date!

Well, aside from a few little fishies that Christine Thomas would like to add, the mural is ready to launch.  We have the scissors, we have the ribbon, and now we have the date!  So save the date--January 12th, 6-7 pm at the Community Center where the Vero Beach Mural resides.  Wine and a nice variety of hors d'eouvres will be served, and many of the people featured in the mural will be in attendance.

We three artists are busily working on our legends and compiling the information and artwork therein.  Vero Beach Art Club member and Mural Dedication Chairman Margaret Goembel is our expert coordinator for this event, and our whippersnapper VBAC Office Manager Christina Tascon is handling many of the time-sensitive, graphics, marketing and other coordinating duties.

The Reception is free and open to the public, so we expect a great turnout.  We are so looking forward to formally presenting to the City this giant work of art which represents the paradise that is our Vero Beach.  And thanks to all those, aside from we artists, who made this project possible. 

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

Mural Launch Celebration in the Works!

Dear Vero Beach Mural Fans,

Stay tuned for news of a Reception/Mural Launch event, coming in January.  The Vero Beach Art Club, the City of Vero Beach, and the Artists, Dawn Mill, Christine Thomas, and this blogger Judy Burgarella, are collaborating to bring the public a fitting event for such a wonderful gift to the City.

Visit this site often for news of our wonderful mural.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

July 18th - Our Gazillionth 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 Dawn Mill (Project Manager), Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com), and Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.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, Vero Beach, Florida USA, 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.
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Wow.  What a day.  My day to sit the gallery (Artists Guild Gallery), and Rita covered for me while I scooted over to the Community Center to see how the installation was going. I fully expected to see one or two of the panels up, but to my surprise they were completely installed.  My eyes teared up as I entered the Florida Room and the sight of all the panels up there altogether took my breath away.  It looked incredible.  Dawn and I just stood there staring at it in awe.

I guess the culmination of working on this big of a project for over a year has struck all three of us.  Christine soon got back from getting her salad and we all got a bit giddy over it, hugging and laughing and getting all mushy.  What a fantastic feeling, and we can hardly wait to show it to the public.  So I laid the tablecloth down on the table (actually it was an old beach towel that's been knocking around in my car), popped the wine, poured it into the lovely 3 wine glasses I brought, and we gave a toast to a job well done.

I had been enjoying getting back my Mondays and Fridays and hadn't given a whole lot of thought to how great it would feel to see it in place, so it was certainly the high point of the day, and probably for the month.  We talked about how we would make a legend, and probably visiting the mural to tweak a bit more now that it's installed and we don't have to wrench our backs moving them around the building.  The City and the people of Vero Beach and Beyond will get years of enjoyment out of the mural, and hopefully the City will enjoy recognition for all the wonderful attributes and exciting things to do in and around Vero Beach, some of which is depicted in this mural.

Left to Right, Dawn K. Mill, Judy Burgarella, Christine Thomas in front of Panels #1 & #2

Panels as they look installed



All panels digitally attached (variations in shads and colors due to separate photographs)

 On the opposite wall resides the mural painted in 2001, which depicts the history of Vero Beach.  Our new mural depicts the habitats of today's Vero Beach.

Older mural, painted in 2001, of which Dawn was one of the artists

    Below are single photographs of each individual panel.  Unfortunately, the first panel did not come out so hot, but I will be sure to get a better picture of it on my next visit.



Panel #1 by Judy Burgarella.  Habitat:  Downtown Vero Beach

 


Panel #2 by Judy Burgarella. Habitats: /Pine flatwoods, Scrub, Sandhill, Hammocks, Cypress Swamp



Panel #3 by Dawn K. Mill.  Habitat: Cypress Swamp, Mangrove Swamp, Lagoon



Panel #4 by Christine Thomas.  Habitat: Lagoon

Panel #5 by Dawn K. Mill.  Habitat: Ocean Drive, Beach, Dunes

Panel #6 by Christine Thomas.  Habitat: Beach, Coastal Strand, Ocean Reef

Well folks, that's it for today, actually it's already tomorrow--been posting for a while.  The postings may be a bit sparce from now on, unless we paint or have ideas we're willing to post which incidentally are many!  Our minds--we three--work overtime with ideas when we're together, so stay tuned.  And also stay tuned for news of when the launch of this wonderful project is.  In the meantime, it can be viewed whenever the room is not being used, so stop in and take a peek.

Ciou!
Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

July 16th, our 100dth+ 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 Dawn Mill (Project Manager), Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com), and Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.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, Vero Beach, Florida USA, 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.


Since this blogger has been "Missing In Action" for a while now, there have been several painting sessions that I have not attended.  Dawn Mill recently finished her part of it also, so Christine has been painting away whenever she got the chance.  Therefore, the sessions number now over 100, but I've lost track since I am not there.  Below are some photo she sent me July 16th (I am posting this July 18th).

Cruiseliner and Sailship on Panel #6 by Christine Thomas



Seagulls and Sailboard by Christine Thomas



Close-up of Seagull with fish by Christine Thomas

Sailboarder and passenger by Christine Thomas

Well, that's all for this post.  Another coming that I'll post tonight, and it's a doozy!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

June 22nd, Our 94th 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 Dawn Mill (Project Manager), Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com), and Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.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, Vero Beach, Florida USA, 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 Christine was painting by herself again, and below are a couple of critters she worked on.  Christine said she also worked on her surfer, but wasn't ready to share it with the world yet.  Yeah, hey there Christine ... look out--the world is watching! 

So here's some more "finishing touches:"

Seagull - looks like he's taking a dive!l

Christine's seagull, in the context of his surroundings on Panel #5

Turtle life . . . an integral part of the shoreline in Vero Beach

Well folks, that's all for now, just dribs and drabs until the mural is completely finished, tweaked and installed.  I'll post as more work is done.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

June 20th, our 93rd Vero Beach 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 Dawn Mill (Project Manager), Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com), and Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.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, Vero Beach, Florida USA, 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 Christine was painting by herself, and boy did she get a lot done!  I guess we gab too much, but I bet she was lonely.  Anyho-o-o, below are some great pics she sent me to post ... enjoy!

Fishing boat by Christine Thomas in Panel #6

Fishing boat with sailfish

The "Aida"

Baby turtle by Christine

Baby turtle by Christine



Turtles by Christine Thomas

 Well, that's all folks.  I may pop over to see them paint or help out on Friday if time permits.  The mural is looking great, and we can hardly wait to show it off to y'all!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project

June 18th, our 92nd 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 Dawn Mill (Project Manager), Christine Thomas (www.innerspacesandouterplaces.com), and Judy Burgarella (http://www.burgarellaart.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, Vero Beach, Florida USA, 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 was fun and productive, and although I had not planned to do anything additional other than tweaking the Hispanic mom and child's face, I ended up painting a monarch butterfly.  Dawn tweaked most of the day, although I think she painted in a few things after I left at 2:00.  Christine painted in a beautiful sailfish, which is pictured below.

Christine Thomas' Sailfish on Panel #6

Sailfish picture under the rising sun

Picture of our workspace, with all panels up to be tweaked

Dawn finished up this section of Panel #4

Below Dawn worked on improving the transition between Panel #4 and Panel #5, where she felt that the dividing line was too strong.  Looks good now!

Transition from Panel #4 to Panel #5

I was able to get a good photo of Dolce, a pretty little Hispanic girl who works where I teach art.  It really helped to have an image to work off of.  

Hispanic mom and little girl on Panel #1



Little Hispanic girl on Panel #1

Well, that's all for now folks.  I may not work on the panels again until they are installed.  We agreed that we can always do a little more light tweaking on a ladder.  Unless of course they need my help for something before installation.  So that's it until I get some images from the Dawn and Christine, who still have a little more work to do.  I will keep this blog alive through the launch in the fall, and keep you posted on any relevant happenings with this mural.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project