This holds true for Sherrie Freeman, who owns the historical building once occupied by Seretta's, located on the Public Square in Russellville.
Freeman-- who has been renovating the structure and plans to live in the upstairs while doing business beneath-- decided to paint over a mural Friday evening which is located on the back of her property off of Fourth Street.
"The murals," as the decorated walls are referred to by the community, is a three-group work of art performed over a three-year period by kids, depicting both the history of Logan County as well as the community's youth.
Stevenson Elementary School art teacher Brenda Brown and her many students began the tedious work with the help of a grant by the deGraffenried Foundation. The exciting adventure started in 1998 when the first mural appeared, exhibiting kids playing on the Russellville Square.
The second emerged a year later when students painted the cultural side of Logan, complete with tobacco farmer and the Flying Fish Festival.
The mural in question-- which was painted over Friday evening in the color of tan-- illustrated a jazz atmosphere, bright with children playing various instruments.
Brown-- who talked with Sherry Freeman's brother, Hal Freeman of Russellville-- told him of her sadness when hearing of the rumor that the murals would be painted over. "I told him that it was a work in progress and that many of the community's children worked hard on the paintings and that they would be devastated if they were destroyed," said Brown. "I told him that we would come back and finish it immediately it if he thought that would make a difference."
Brown said Freeman relayed to her that it wasn't his building and that he was pretty sure his sister was going to paint over it.
This proved to be the case when Brown was informed Friday early afternoon that it was really going to happen.
Brown acted immediately, sending letters home in backpacks, telling parents and hoping they could do something. "It was too late," said Brown, who got a call from fellow Stevenson teacher Jean Reynolds Friday evening informing her that it had begun.
"I was so upset," said Brown. "The loss of this year's mural efforts for beautifying our community has devastated our students as well as our parents and faculty.
"We understand that the building is privately owned and that the owners have the right to do whatever they want to with it. However, as a student body, we were hoping to deal with a higher level of sensitivity."
Freeman explained her decision to the N-D&L Monday afternoon:
"I understand that a great amount of work has gone into the painting of the exterior walls in the parking lot on Fourth Street. It is not my intention to destroy any work that has been completed. An incomplete section of the wall located furthest to the west will be redecorated and will serve as an entrance way into The Shop on the Square.
"I find this necessary to enhance the likelihood of patrons entering my shop from this primary source of parking."
Brown said that the painting of a big X which appears across a portion of the students work was a "malicious and totally uncaring act" (the X is located at the back of the mural).
"I am really sorry that our students had to be treated this way," she said, "and having to be exposed to this as they drove by over the weekend was just terrible."
The art teacher hopes that the community will stand up and voice their opinions, as this may save the remaining murals. According to Brown, the Freemans stated that they wanted to see the community's reaction to the incident before they continued the project.
"My request to the owners," said Brown, "is to please consider the feelings of our students and parents. What is so called 'improvement' worth?
"It seems that a new business in town would need acceptance and support from their community and I don't think this is a very good way to gain respect and patronage."
Freeman said, "Being an artist and designer myself, I do want to emphasize and respect all the hard work that has gone into these murals, and I have entertained plans of having an area in this entrance way where local artisans can exhibit their waves.
"I think that my plans will both enhance of the existing work and draw more customers into my business."
Post a Comment
