Present for the ribbon cutting of the first public mural in Warsaw, from left, are Trisha Steger, chamber of commerce; Justin Taylor, city of Warsaw; Mayor Joe Thallemer; Katie Swain, Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council; Robert Hudson, artist; Mason Charlton, Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council; and Heather Smith, chamber ambassador.

WARSAW — “We wanted to beautify the community. Make it colorful. Modernize the community/downtown,” said Mason Charlton, a Warsaw High School junior who is on the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council. The result was a public mural on the north wall of The Vic at 110 Craft Meatery, Buffalo Street.

A ribbon cutting officially unveiling the mural was held as part of Warsaw’s First Friday’s “Art-tober” tonight, Friday, Oct. 4.

“I love the colors, the overall appearance of it,” Charlton said.

First place winner in Lakeland Art Association’s en plein aire event.

The mural was created by Robert Hudson, an artist from Mentone, who was commissioned by MYAC. Hudson, who is enamored with the courthouse and loves the storms in Indiana, incorporated those two elements along with remembrances of the past growing up and swimming in Center Lake. The mural shows the courthouse in the east with the storm clouds moving off with the sunny skies over Center Lake. The stone wall is a part of the Biblical gardens.

It took Hudson over a month to complete the mural. “There were a lot of rain out days,” he said, noting there had been a drought all summer and literally the day he began it started to rain. “The corrigated metal was the biggest challenge. You don’t have the perspective – there’s only 10 feet. But if you see it at an angle,” he noted suggesting the best spot is on the manhole in the courthouse lawn or in that direct line of fire.

Charlton and Katie Swain, also a member of MYAC, noted they gave Hudson free reign over the theme. “He brought us a rough draft and we approved it,” said Charlton with Swain noting there were many rough drafts. They then just sat back and did the work. “It was easier than I expected,” Charlton said. “We watched his design and said yes to it and he painted it for us.”

The group is looking for more locations in town to add murals and searching for additional grant money and sponsors for future projects.

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer noted MYAC is “trying to stimulate more of these downtown, more partners, more locations. I was so proud of the work they did,” he said recognizing the group for obtaining a $5,000 grand from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority as part of he 2019 My Community My Vision project. “Here we are. They worked hard for this,” Thallemer concluded.

Earlier in the evening the 10 artists who participated in the Lakeland Art Association’s en plein aire competition returned from a day of painting in the community, to submit their artwork for judging by Randy Kirkendall.

Mike Yeazel, Mentone, took first and second place with his paintings of the courthouse – one from Central Park and the other from the alley behind BMacs.

Terry Pulley, Wabash, won third with his painting of Latte Lounge.

Honorable mention was awarded to Sheri Johnson, Warsaw, for her painting of a flower garden at Central Park, and to Tammy Davis, Warsaw, of wetlands.

The paintings were done in watercolors, oils, acrylics and one in water color, pen and ink. The creations were available to purchase during the evening. This will become an annual event for the Lakeland Art Association.

While the ribbon cutting on the mural was the highlight of the night, there were other opportunities to enjoy art. The RedBird Art Studio, a division of Cardinal Services, had art work for sale by its students in The Vic; and students from the Warsaw Community Schools Visual Arts Program provided free face painting and character sketches.