Today my yarn shop called about some yarn I wanted – having no paper or pencil, I wrote the amount on the wall! Just doing what I can to keep the economy ticking along.
Here is the day’s progress – detail in the a.m. and broader stuff in the afternoon. Betsy brought an umbrella, and as the shadows lengthened throughout the afternoon, the umbrella became more and more effective. That seam in the wall is the half-way point! (I know, I keep telling you that, but it helps me to repeat it like a little kid saying “I won, I won” until you just want to smack him.)
The details are getting better and better, doncha think?? 😎 It took great discipline to stop fiddling with it when the wall heated up. Tomorrow I will buy some new brushes so the ones that are all splayed can be used for less precise tasks. Oh, today a most thoughtful gentleman inquired if I would like a cup of coffee. He then returned with black decaf, exactly to my specifications! Thank you, Chester!
Mural, Day Twenty-one
Today it became apparent that the detail work has to happen in the a.m. The broader base-coating work is for the afternoon when the wall is too hot for my brushes to behave. This was a frustrating learning experience, but forward motion happened anyway. I moved the truck forward another 4 feet, and now I am painting at the HALF-WAY MARK!!! See that crack/seam to the left of Tulare Peak (the one on the left side of Farewell Gap)? As an aside, have you ever noticed how many people let their diesel engines idle incessantly? It occurred to me that perhaps it wasn’t good for this truck to run for 30 seconds, so I became one of Them: those people who let their noisy smelly diesels run for no apparent reason. I hate to sound like someone who makes her own yogurt (I do, but that is beside the point), but it is Really REALLY annoying to listen to and smell diesels idling while I paint! But I digress. . . here is today’s work:
Slightly better than yesterday. I found myself in that weird middle-aged dilemma – reading glasses or sunglasses?? Opted for the reading glasses and found much more information in the photo – funny how that works! Goodbye, Banjo Guy.
Mural, Day Twenty
Looks sort of icky in the early layers, but you have confidence in my abilities, right? Say goodbye to Banjo Guy – he will be gone tomorrow.
Mural, Day Eighteen
See the vertical seam on the left? That marks 1/4 of the mural. There is solid paint on the first 1/4 of the mural now. Not all the details are completed, but visual forward motion is taking place. The truck is a FANTASTIC platform for painting! Today PBS interviewed some Exeter dignitaries and me, and filmed me detailing those trees. I’m sure I look fat, make weird faces and say stupid things, so I may not let you know what program and when. (I really don’t know!)
Mural, Day Seventeen
When I got to the mural this a.m. there was a beautiful sight to behold awaiting me!
Now I can paint without bars in my face or blocking my arms or casting shadows across my work. This is WONDERFUL! (Huge thank you to Keith!) Another wonderful thing: an angel named Susan brought me some of those little handwarmer things – Wow, what a lovely thoughtful thing to do! Thank you, Angel Susan!
Next step: re-detail these mountains and snow patches, add a detailed layer to the more distant trees, and then re-detail the closer trees. Isn’t this working platform grand? 😎
Mural, Day Sixteen
See how far away and small my completed work appears from the sidewalk end? Lest you despair, there is a bit of camera distortion!
Today I painted from Sawtooth to Mineral Peak and then put the base coat on the trees below the cabin “snapshot”. Note the changed roof on the center cabin, the completed chimney on the cabin on the right, and the ROAD that is not a STREAM!!!
Mural, Day Fifteen
From this angle and perspective, it might appear that I am quite far down the wall. That fits under the category of Appearances Are Deceiving.
Here you can see the subtle differences in sepia colors. You can also see how much happened today! “Snapshot” #4 is almost finished! The weird part is that the road looks a bit stream-ish, and the stream looks like a blur at the bottom of the scene. That will require some thought.
Lots of very satisfying detail work today!
Mural, Day Fourteen
It looked like showers were likely today, but I bravely commuted down the hill prepared to paint. It was a beautiful day with intermittent boiling brilliant sunshine and overcast chilly breezes. The sunshine let me really see the details in my photos; the clouds made it possible to see the paint on the wall – a perfect combination!
First, I finished this. (maybe. . . I never quite know when I am fnished!) This is on a slant, but I straightened it for this viewing. I added a shadow beneath it. 
Next, I mixed a new shade of sepia (notice the subtle differences in color from one “snapshot” to another?) and began the 4th “snapshot”. (Remember, the old Mineral King Store is finished on the east end.) Had to finish off the mountains above and do some taping. That weird tan spot on the bottom left will be the recipient of much detail later on. Again, it feels as if no real square footage was covered today, but today’s “snapshot” is about 6’x8′! (Didn’t want you all to think I am slacking off here!)
Exeter’s Mural Project
In 1996 the small town of Exeter, California embarked on a journey to create an outdoor art gallery. At that time the town was slowly dying commercially. There were always parking spaces available in front of business on the main street, there were many empty spaces available for rent, there were very few shops and fewer places to eat. There was a desire to do something and many random ideas but no central theme or person with passion willing to stick his neck out and pursue an idea.
The idea of murals was brought to me by three separate and unrelated individuals at different times. Suddenly things began happening at a rapid pace and the city council voted to hire a consultant to teach us how to become a mural city. Through a series of odd coincidences, I was made the president of the group. I knew nothing about such things, so I surrounded myself with folks who did know how to make things happen. I had nothing to lose (except perhaps my struggling art studio), so I poured myself wholeheartedly into the task of turning Exeter into an outdoor art gallery.
We tackled the process of laying the foundation for Exeter, A Festival of Arts by writing job descriptions, by-laws, contracts with artists, contracts with wall owners, gathering photos, learning about artists, and fund-raising, always fund-raising. It was exhausting at times, but I knew that Exeter had two choices: get cute or die. Although I have never lived in Exeter, I truly love that town! Sometimes people would ask me when I was going to paint a mural, and I’d laugh and remind them that first, I didn’t know how to paint, and second, the Mural Team’s by-laws prevented any of its members from profiting from the project.
In 2002 I closed my Exeter studio and moved into a little building at home in Three Rivers. This move meant I could no longer be on the Mural Team, but I never lost my interest in the project. Three years ago I started oil painting, last year I learned how to paint murals, and in February of this year I began painting Exeter’s 26th mural.
Today the town is vibrant, alive, busy, interesting and full of visitors coming to see the murals, the shops and the restaurants. Buildings have been renovated, parks and street corners and even alleys are landscaped, a gallery and museum have been added, and the town continues to thrive. Other towns in the county have tried to imitate Exeter’s success, but there is a specialness to Exeter lacking in other places. It may be the size, the history, the pride, the level of education, or the combination of all those elements, but in my opinion Exeter is the star of Tulare County.
Meanwhile, the fund-raising continues. Murals are expensive to prepare, paint and maintain. Exeter, A Festival of Arts has never sought grants, but has generated all its own financial support. And here is the real question: would you like to participate? Visit Exeter’s murals, and decide if you’d like to join in this worthy project. The Mural Team (I REFUSED to let us be called a “committee”) is using the opportunity of a Mineral King mural to raise more funds. (Don’t worry, I am getting paid with or without your donations.) Contributions are tax deductible. Details on how to donate and an informational letter about the current letter may be found on the Mineral King web site in the documents section: http://www.mineralking.net/documents/ExeterMural.pdf
Mural, Day Thirteen
Does today’s work look any different from yesterday’s? Finished the porch washroom and added more detail and cleaner edges. Figured out how to use a square to make the angled “postcard” accurate in size and got a little closer to being finished on the Honeymoon Cabin. Painted all day and just recovered old territory. But, it is all improved, so that is forward motion. (You know it is improved since I am willing to show it to you closer than before!)