Big Dreams Grow in Carthage

Great things happen in small towns across the USA including Carthage, Missouri. Early in the year, 2020 Vision Carthage, (a local, non-profit organization that focuses on community beautification and revitalization) asked if Andy would be interested in assisting them with an idea for an outside mural.

Vision Carthage had a spectacular idea: to have a vibrant piece of art on the outside of the McBride Building on the Carthage Square. This artwork will tell the story of famous people whose roots came from small-town Carthage, Missouri for both residents and visitors to enjoy.  They were ready with a list of people, buildings, and the desire for a bright spectrum of color.

Having a cool design on the McBride Building and preserving local history was an idea we both liked, so we accepted. If you are wondering why it is ‘we’ instead of just Andy, it is because I do much of the background work and many of these projects need that assistance and promotion in order for him to just create.

If we fast forward to the image above I can tell you how we arrived…

Andy took the group’s ideas and combined them into the design you see. The original painting is watercolor. If you know Andy’s artwork, it is mostly oils but he does watercolors as well. Although bright colors aren’t his normal palette he delved in and arrived at an amazing amount of color and life.

Each famous Carthage rooted person depicted as a child is towards the lower center. Up, on the right, you will notice a grown version of each child. These were individual oil paintings that give the final image more dimension and a true to life feel.

On the left side scaffolding, you will see the artists who are almost finished painting the mural on the building side.

Paul Whitehill, of Whitehill Enterprises who has installed outside tile across the nation, was introduced at a Vision Carthage meeting and he then began the process of bringing the images to tile.

It is estimated that installation of the tiles will begin on the McBride Building on the Carthage Square in early spring of 2021.

To keep up with the process find visioncarthage.org or follow them on Facebook.

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