The Okefenokee Heritage Center has been hard at work the past few months creating the America 250 Community Mural to commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial.
The mural is the passion project of wildlife artist and muralist Jorah Mitchell.
“We’ve wanted to do a community mural for many, many years,” Mitchell said. “This seemed like a great opdonated portunity for us to finally make it come to fruition.”
Mitchell said more than 40 people of all skill levels visited OHC to help paint a square on the 6-foot by 12-foot mural.
Among the group of painters was artist Pam Jordan, who said she “just wanted to be part of this special, once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Added OHC Art Guild Chair Susan Newman: “We had a lot of fun doing it. I was really thrilled the Art Guild could be part of it by incorporating it into our monthly meeting.”
To create the mural, Mitchell divided the wooden panels, donated by Lee Hardware and Building Supply, into a grid of 72 manageable square sections for community painters of all skill levels. She then sketched the mural’s design.
Each painter was supplied with brushes and high-quality outdoor paint by Sherwin Williams. When finished, the mural was assembled June 27 at the Waycross Exchange Club America 250 Field of Honor July 4th celebration at the Okefenokee Fairgrounds, 2401 Knight Avenue.
It will remain on display at the Fairgrounds until July 11 and then returned to the OHC for permanent installation on the exterior wall of the center facing N. Augusta Avenue.
The final product will contain the names of all of the contributing artists and sponsors, including Common Sense Housing and Memorial Satilla Health in addition to Lee Hardware and Sherwin Williams.
The center has a long history of patriotism and honoring service members.
“As a history museum, it’s important we take the lead in remembering our fallen heroes,” OHC Executive Director Carla Garrett Cornett said. “We have our annual Veterans Day celebration and 5k, and a Memorial Day commemoration.
“We also create a fallen soldier’s table each year to remember those who did not make it home to their loved ones.”
This year, the OHC painted the coal tinder of steam locomotive Old Nine red, white, and blue and added the America 250 logo.
Comments