News : Residents paint Back Alley Mural in downtown Vinton

A new mural in the alley behind City Hall now brightens the downtown

Before, it was just a plain gray building...here is the outlines drawn for residents to fill in

On the evening of Saturday, September 28, a group of local residents came together for a creative community event, painting a mural on the wall of City Hall in the alleyway. The event kicked off at 4:00 p.m. with volunteers of all ages picking up brushes and getting to work, transforming the alley into a vibrant public art space.

Supplies were provided for everyone to participate in the mural's creation, and alongside the main artwork, a special "Under the Sea" children's mural was painted by the younger artists in attendance. The children's mural added a splash of playful color to the alley, capturing sea creatures and ocean scenes through the eyes of the town's littlest painters.

The mural was designed by Dandeena Schadle from Pourville Art Studio & Gallery. Co-hosted with the Vinton Guild of Fine Arts, the event also included children painting their own mural on an 8 feet x 30 inch panel, featuring an "Under the Sea" theme. The children's mural was so popular, it was essentially finished in about an hour, while the adult mural drew a consistent number of grown-ups throughout the event. All volunteers were welcome - no experience or supplies were necessary to participate.

In addition to mural painting, multiple local artists were on hand to sell their work, while Brian Parr created his own paintings during the event for which the proceeds were being donated to the Mark Harrison Cancer Foundation. Beyond the artwork, activities included music by the Boogie Woogers, Phil Thomas and Darryl Hokanson, and three VSHS choral students, as well as food offered by such vendors as The Niche Wine Bar, Beast & Bird, and Casserole Kitchen, and sidewalk sales by nearby businesses.

The event was possible due to generous support from The Niche, Cameron's, LaGrange Pharmacy, Essential Health Massage, Vinton Unlimited, Ideal Industries, Farm Bureau's Dan Peoples, Koop's Sales & Service, International Motor Contest Assn (IMCA), Karr's Septic, Ervin's Motor Co., T-J Gas, Custom Millwork & Finishing, Benton County Historical Society, Cedar Valley Savings Bank, and Ehlinger's Express.

The Vinton Guild of Fine Arts (VGFA) is a local nonprofit that has been supporting artists and promoting public art in the Vinton community since 2014. VGFA and Pourville Art Studio & Gallery have both created and installed several other murals in Vinton. Together with the Wall Dogs murals, and VGFA's corn statues, these public art projects have become a draw for visitors to the city of Vinton. VGFA is currently sponsoring an Art Scavenger Hunt to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Visit vintonart.com to participate.

The finished mural can be viewed by visiting the alley along the east side of City Hall, where the new artwork now brightens the space for all to enjoy.