Today, Monday, we painted in a different room in the Community Center, which worked out quite well. We got a good deal accomplished, and I was very happy with mine today, although I am never completely satisfied and feel I could do abetter job. We all have had false starts, having to revisit perspective, colors, shapes, etc. quite often because of the size of this project. It helps to be able to see it projected very small on this screen, and many times we can pinpoint troubled areas. As I write this it is actually Tuesday evening (I lied), and Dawn and Christine had painted at the mural much of the day so the mural is even farther along than this posting.
I arrived at 8:30, set up everything and got busy repainting the gumbo limbo tree, as we felt the trunk was too short. "Bursera simaruba" is a very complicated and interesting tree, it can grow to 50-60 feet and is very hurricane resistant, sprouts from branches just stuck into the ground, and the gummy, turpentine-scented resin has been used in the in the West Indies for making glue, varnish, liniments, and as a coating for canoes. The aromatic sap is also used as a treatment for gout, while the leaves are brewed into a medicinal tea. Many birds love its fruit. The reddish peeling bark has dubbed it the "tourist tree." I found a beauty living on the Sebastian Community Center property, which I have used as a model for my panel #2.
Below pictured together are Panels #2 and #3, and today some of my work was focused on blending the two together. In the foreground is the beginnings of a dead tree so to make a place for critters, which I am anxious to get to. Way in the back will be the Sexton Farm, along with horses, cattle and cowboys. Things in Paneld #2 look like they're floating yet, as much more has to be painted in to make it look real.
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| Panel #2 by Judy Burgarella and Panel #3 by Dawn Mill |
Below is Christine's panel #4, which segues from Dawn's #3 above. There's a lot of action on this panel--manatees, stingrays and porpoise, oh my! Christine has spend many hours researching her critters and the environment they live in. We hope this mural will be an environmental "gem" that will be used not only as a reflection of all that Vero Beach has to offer, but as a learning tool for schoolchildren. There will be an accompanying binder with a legend and information about each habitat represented, including interesting data about animals, plants and trees, people, buildings and more. Oh, and we have lots of plans for putting stuff in the sky too!
Dawn has progressed greatly on her Panel #5, Ocean Drive and dunes, and after talking to her today she noted that the buildings are just about finished--can't wait to see them. They look fantastic even at this stage. At this point below, however, she had refined the plants and trees adjoining Christine's panel #4, which are starting to come together. Cactus, palms and seagrapes reside side by side to make an interesting and very contrasting collection of plants lining up on the beach. Notice the white tent on the left side--this is to represent "Art in the Park," a familiar sight on certain Sundays at Humiston Park where the Vero Beach Art Club has its monthly show. As a project being totally sponsored by the "Club," it is only fitting they be represented in the mural.
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| Dawn Mill's Panel #5 |
At the end of the painting day Monday we put the panels together and just stood at the other end of the room and marveled at our creation. Ah, it is good to be an artist and be able to create your own paradise! (Actually, it's not our own created paradise ... it's what Vero Beach really is!)
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| Vero Beach Mural, all six panels as of October 10th, 2011 |
Anyway, it's gonna be good, so stay tuned as we ad many more animals, people, plants, trees and flowers. Hope you enjoyed the view so far.
Regards,
Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Projct
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