For the ninth consecutive summer, Merrill High School art students will begin an intensive week of work painting murals on the walls of the school.
Beginning June 12th, thirteen selected artists began the task of transferring 4′ x 6′ scaled drawings to the brick walls and spend up to fifteen hours a day for the next seven days to complete reproduction paintings of master works of art. In addition, each student is responsible for researching the master artist he or she has chosen.
By the end of the week, more than 100 murals will adorn the walls of Merrill High School, making it the only school in the state of Wisconsin, and quite possibly the nation, to offer its student body a gallery-like setting as they travel through the halls to classes.
The work doesn’t end when the muralists do, however; each mural must be glassed and framed, and engraved plaques identifying the title of the artwork, the original artist, date, and muralist will be installed near each mural. A brief biography of each artist must also be written, printed, framed and installed near each painting. All of this will be completed prior to a Mural Open House, which will be held in January or February of 2014 (date to be announced). In conjunction with this year’s Open House, an alumni art show and Muralist Reunion are being planned.
Once again, the mural program welcomes sponsors. The cost to sponsor a mural, which pays for glass and framing, is $400. Partial sponsorships of $200 are also available, and any donations are appreciated. Mural sponsors are recognized on the plaque installed near each mural and receive a certificate of appreciation. If you are interested in becoming a mural sponsor, please contact mural workshop coordinators Linda DeBroux, 715-536-4594, ext. 18151 or Jean English, 715-536-8628.