May 18th, our 78th 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 I was all by my lonesome, as Dawn and Christine were otherwise occupied with obligations, but I got to the Community Center at about 9:00, and after setting up got straight to work.  I worked out a plan of action last night, and although I did not follow it completely it kept me kind of on-track. 

Below is a photo of Panel #1, which I worked on all day.  With a little more tweaking this panel is done.  I adjusted the foliage and river on the left edge of the canvas to match up more perfectly with the last panel of the old mural, just in case they are ever installed in another location and butted up against each other.  While I was at it I refined the foliage and structures south of the Indian River Lagoon.  The Alma Lee Loy Chamber of Commerce Building is almost complete, sans its porches.  I repainted the "Downtown Vero Beach" monument as the perspective was all off, and painted in a passionflower vine which is one of my favorite Florida flowers.  Had a wonderful time painting the happy little doggie, which I named after my dearly-missed Yorkie, Scooter.  I am relieved that the lower right-hand portion of this canvas is finished, as it was an unattractive distraction to this panel.

Panel #1 by Judy Burgarella - Almost finished!

The children will love this little guy.  Such a pleasure to paint a happy face looking back at me.

"Scooter" - detail in Panel #1

Pictured below is the Chamber of Commerce building, named after Vero's beloved Alma Lee Loy, who is pictured as part of a conversation group on this panel.

Alma Lee Loy Chamber of Commerce Building

The one thing I did not enjoy today is painting the lettering on this sign.  All the photos I had taken were not of the right angle as it was impossible to get that angle from where the monument sits on 20th Street.  Freestyle lettering is done by repeated reduction painting, which is painting the lettering, then tweaking the background, repaiting the lettering and repeating until it's acceptable.

Vero Beach's Monument on 20th Street

Below are panels #1 and #2, the fruits of my labor for way too long, but finally we see the end.  Dawn's and Christine's panels also have so many wonderful animals, plants, fish and other fun things--it will be very exciting to see the whole mural installed in the Community Center, opposite the older mural.  We are brainstorming on ideas in which to launch this work of art, so stay tuned.

Panel #1 and Panel #2 together

Below is the mural that was created in the year 2000.  One of the muralists was Dawn Mill, who is now our project manager.  This is a great-looking mural, and ours will be a wonderful addition to it.

Mural created for the Community Center in 2000

Below is a copy of a mural that was completed earlier than the year 2000 mural.  It was a beautifully-rendered painting of superb composition, but unfortunately it has been lost.  No one seems to know where the original is.  Dawn stated that the original was in very poor condition, so perhaps someone discarded it.  If anyone who reads this has any information regarding this mural, please contact one of us.

At 4:30 it was time to leave, so took some pics and packed up, with a sense of accomplishment.  The day really whizzes by with a paintbrush in hand.  We will be painting Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week, so check this blog again next week to see some great progress.  The push is really on now, and with the season slowing down we can put some serious time in as long as the Florida Room is not being occupied.  Please feel free to pass this blog on to others.  Thanks.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project