Staircase River Mural Painting Underway
The Montevideo Arts project is pleased to announce that after months of preparation, painting has commenced on a new river-themed mural on the public staircase on the north end of Main Street, Montevideo.
The public is invited to stop by and observe, but not distract, artist Victoria Fortenberry-Jones as she paints the mural over the next several days. A dedication ceremony for the new mural is planned for Sunday, September 8 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be free and will feature food, door prizes and a ribbon cutting ceremony.
This will be the fourth public art project organized by The Montevideo Arts Project (MAP), a volunteer organization of local citizens and City of Montevideo officials dedicated to advancing the inspiring power of art in public places. Artist Victoria Fortenberry-Jones design was selected from a number of proposals that were submitted to MAP in the late summer of 2018. In May 2019, Fortenberry-Jones held workshops with students and the public to solicit drawings of riverine fauna that could be included in the mural, which will transform the once nearly abandoned staircase into a flowing river.
Montevideo City Councilman Dan Sanborn and former City Manager Steve Jones worked with city crews who cleared brush around the publicly owned staircase in June. Entrepreneur Dennis Larson donated the rocks that were artfully placed along the staircase to enhance the river theme. Fortenberry-Jones worked with the city and Sanborn to prepare the steps for painting in July and now she has dedicated four days to complete the mural.
Fortenberry-Jones lives in Minneapolis and is an Art Educator who has worked in schools in Maple Grove, Brooklyn Center and Eden Prairie. This is her first public art mural.
The Montevideo Arts Project still needs to raise several thousand dollars to reach its budget for this project. A grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, which is being used to launch the project, requires local matching funds. Any individual or business donating $250 or more will get their name listed on a permanent sign that will be placed at the mural. Tax deductible contributions can be sent to MAP Project #4, City of Montevideo, PO Box 517. Montevideo, MN 56265.
The project is being made possible by contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. For more information, contact Tesa Siverhus Maus at the Montevideo Chamber of Commerce at (320)269-5527.
Patrick J. Moore
Communications Director
————————– Notes from SMAC:
The city of Montevideo received an Arts Legacy Project Planning Grant for this project, as well as an Art Legacy Project grant!
Art Legacy Project Planning Grants provide organizations in the SMAC region with up to $2,500 to plan for a specific large-scale project or activity that will create or advance a strong arts legacy in Minnesota. 20% cash match required. Deadlines for these grants run on a first-come, first-served monthly deadline:
1st of each month, August 2019-November 2019 & January 2020-April 2020, or until funds are expended. Find out more here: https://swmnarts.org/…/smac-gr…/arts-legacy-planning-grants/
After the planning grant, continue with an Art Legacy Project grant! To find out more about Art Legacy Project Grants, visit: https://swmnarts.org/…/smac-gran…/art-legacy-project-grants/
This activity is funded in part with a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council made possible by the voters of Minnesota thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
