June 8th, our 88th 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.


REGULAR VISUAL POSTINGS OF PROGRESS FOLLOWS AFTER THE BELOW IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

DONATIONS NEEDED TO FINISH AND PROTECT

THE VERO BEACH MURAL

The Vero Beach Mural Project is nearing completion and will be installed at the VB Community Center at the end of June.   Sponsored by the Vero Beach Art Club and created by members Dawn Mill, Christine Thomas and Judy Burgarella, additional funds for this project are needed to purchase protective covers for both the old and new murals, and make adjustments to the old mural.  Please consider sending a donation to the Club to help finish this gift to the City of Vero Beach, which will be a lasting legacy from the members of the Vero Beach Art Club.  

As the Vero Beach Art Club transitions through some austerity issues as other clubs have in these challenging times, we muralists would like to put out an appeal for help from the art-loving public.  Funds are needed for the Mural Project for the following reasons:

1.         To purchase clear Lucite protectors to cover the outside edges of the old and new murals.  The old mural is beginning to show signs of damage, as the Florida Room in the Community Center is used by adults and children alike for a variety of activities

2.         To purchase three 6’ wide by 2’ high custom stretched canvases for the replacement of informational inserts (legends) on the old mural (see photo below), which interrupt the flow of the paintings.  Our plan is to continue the painting pattern of the mural on the new 6’x2’ canvases, and install these legends over the doors between the two murals, making an informative transition between the old and new murals.  Muralist and fine artist Merena Cadorette has graciously consented to paint them for us. 

All muralists have donated their time for this very worthwhile project, which is a priceless legacy from the Vero Beach Art Club to the City and people of Vero Beach.  

Twelve years ago members of the Vero Beach Art Club completed the mural, “History of Vero Beach,” which has been on view in the Community Center ever since.  In June 2011 under the direction of Dawn Mill, one of the original muralists, she, Judy Burgarella and Christine Thomas began a new mural depicting the habitats of Vero Beach, also measuring 36’ x 8’, which will be installed across from the old mural and will transition into it.  It is almost completed, and you can follow the progress from start to finish on this blog by simply scrolling to the bottom and clicking on “older posts,” which can be viewed all the way back to its beginning in June of 2011.  We have devoted most Mondays and Fridays to this project for a year.

Please consider donating to this very worthy project soon so that we can proudly launch its debut in the fall.   And please indicate within your donation "For Mural Project."

If you need further information please contact either Dawn Mill at 772-567-5828, Judy Burgarella at 772-581-8281, or Christine Thomas at 772-359-8809.

and now to continue the postings . . .


Well, I've been M.I.A. again Friday, and am now posting Saturday for Dawn and Christine.  I had an art show to prepare and set up for the Sebastian River Art Club, so did not pitch in with the mural that day.  I am calling my panels done, although there were other things that would have been fun to paint into it or tweak.  Further tweaking can even be done after the panels are installed, but it will have to be done on ladders.

Christine and I observed that we both have improved in our mural painting skills since beginning this project over a year ago, and some of the elements we painted in at the beginning are not quite as striking as the later ones.  Hopefully I will pitch in next week if needed, or at least stop for pictures for some final postings before the canvases are permanently installed.  So Christine took some pictures with her phone which came out pretty good, and here they are:

Flock of Ibis flying on Panel #4 by Christin Thomas

White pelicans on the shores of the Indian River Lagoon on Panel #3 by Dawn Mill

White Egret in flight by Dawn Mill on Panel #3

Opossum family in newly-enhanced foliage on Panel #3 by Dawn Mill

These finishing touches are so important to the overall look of the mural project, and will help to make it more entertaining, especially for the children who will be enjoying it for years to come. 

Stay tuned for the final finishing touches!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger for the Vero Beach Mural Project