MURAL DESIGNS
Fri, 2016-09-23 05:00
News Staff
Art Guild, Parks & Rec Department recognize student artists
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Three Copperas Cove students were recognized for their mural designs which were selected as winners in the Five Hills Art Guild’s Art in the Park mural contest. In the spring of 2016, the guild and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department began to discuss art as it relates to the city’s parks.
“I reached out to the Five Hills Art Guild about working within our service provider agreement, trying to get some SMEs with art to get the service providers off the ground with art classes,” said Parks & Recreation director Joe Brown. “In some of those conversations with Robert (Weidinger II), he said, ‘I have another ideas I’d like to throw at you, which is Art in the Park.’ He has a real passion for that and he came up with the idea for painting all sides of Fester’s House, which I think is a great idea
At this stage, we’d like to recognize the Five Hills Art Guild’s efforts thus far. We are currently still working on raising money so we can bring this thing to life this fiscal year.”
Brown said that each exterior wall will be painted with a mural of a different them, with the interior to be painted a neutral color.
“We will actually label it Fester’s House, so if you’re not from Cove you’ll actually know what it is.”
Students at Copperas Cove Junior High, S.C. Lee Junior High as well as Copperas Cove High School all had the chance to submit designs for the murals.
Out of the 20 entries received, the guild voted on three winners, to include submissions from eighth graders Angelica Tibbit and Mallory Casto, with senior Brice Garcia’s design also being selected.
All three of designs will be painted on the exterior walls of Fester’s House in the future.
Art Guild members, along with current president Linda Lapierre and past president Robert Weidinger II were on hand to present the plaques.
“We had a hard time deciding on the junior high level. We could not decide on the art pieces and presented them to Joe, and he said, ‘Do them both,’” Lapierre said. “We’re very excited about working with the city and beautifying our community, and look forward to partnering with you for the festival on March 25.”
On Tuesday night, Casto was present to accept her award plaque. As Brice Garcia is now away attending college, Garcia’s mother was there to accept the plaque on her behalf.
Currently the Parks & Recreation Department along with the Five Hills Art Guild are looking for donations to fund the paint and materials needed to complete the project.
After the presentation, Weidinger said a few words about the guild’s future plans, stating that the Fester’s House murals are just the beginning and that the guild is working on plans to hold its 2nd annual festival in City Park on March 25.
“We’re planning to take up the front half of the park, bring in food trucks, trying to have a lot of different organizations. we’ve already reached out to quite a few artists,” Weidinger said. “We appreciate Joe (Brown) allowing us to even entertain our festival out there. We’ll have a lot more parking. We had a festival in Cove Terrace Shopping Center and used that parking lot, we filled that place up. It was actually a very successful venture and we’re trying to expand that to a bigger venue.”
Weidinger said he also envisions permanent art pieces in the park near the area of Fester’s House, as well as near the duck pond and in the park space between Fester’s House and Avenue B.