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An Introduction
to TE's Mural Collection
AMERICA'S LARGEST
ART GALLERY
Murals:
Old, New, Good and Bad
Government-sponsored
or spontaneous,
it’s an art form we seem to need.
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Madill, Oklahoma
Post Office Mural "Prairie Fire" by Ethel Magafan
TE photo, April 2009 |
“Postal Art”
Comes in Two Sizes
Stamps or Murals – with nothing in between.
In recent years
there has been an increase in the awareness of what are commonly called
“Post Office
Murals.” These were murals (and other works of art) which were
created during the years 1934-1943 under several government programs.
They provided some decoration for the new post offices that were being
constructed all around the country. Funding for the artwork was (creatively)
based on 1% of the construction costs of the buildings. The work provided
artists with an income – since (as one government official put it)
“they have to eat, just like everyone else.” For the stipend that
was paid – usually between $300 and $750 – it has been (inch-per-square
inch) one of America’s best investments, with the value of some works
being deemed “priceless.” |
Monett, Missouri
1939 post office mural " Products of Missouri" (detail)
by James McCreery.
TE photo, April 2009 |
Books have been
published for postal murals in Arkansas, Indiana, Texas, Tennessee
and other states. Over the years, as towns have outgrown their postal
facilities, murals have been removed to new post offices or have been
recognized for their historic value and now have places of honor in
county courthouses and regional museums. About 10% have been destroyed,
painted-over or lost since their creation.
While each publication on murals stops at the respective state lines,
our coverage does not. Mural themes were often regional and artist’s
imaginations were not confined by lines on a map. Nor is our coverage
limited only to post office murals. |
Detail from Ville
Platte, Louisiana's hand-painted wall mural by Waven Boone.
TE photo April 2009 |
Investing in
Paint
For towns without
a geographical or historic draw for tourism, many towns have discovered
the (relatively) inexpensive idea of creating their own draw – through
paint. Those towns that have the wisdom to employ professional artists
seem to fare much better than those who abandon their walls to anyone
with a brush. For the towns that have the wisdom and far-sightedness
to have themselves declared their state’s “Mural Capital” – the results
are even better. |
| Breckenridge
is Texas’ Mural Capital through the work of a talented “itinerant
muralist” named Billy Ines who painted detailed historical murals
based on actual photographs. These murals provide a living bridge
to Breckenridge’s
past – which heretofore was resigned to the town’s museum and archives.
Visitors were once limited to genealogists and scholars, but now,
thanks to the Ines works, any visitor passing through Breckenridge
can “connect” with the town – even if it’s a brief curiosity-piquing
moment. |
Talented Amphibians
occupy a hand-painted mural in Rayne, Louisiana
TE photo, April 2009 |
| In
Louisiana, the mural capital is Rayne, a town that tapped into
one particular aspect of their commercial history (the exporting of
frogs) and have blended the talents of a professional muralist with
local painters – keeping the whimsical theme lively (while avoiding
bruised feelings). |
Detail from Oswego,
Kansas' post office mural "Kansas Farm Life" by Robert E. Larter.
TE photo, April 2009 |
Disorganization
is actually Inclusion
Mural coverage in this series will include both post office and “tourist
murals” as well as the stories behind them (when available).
Anyone wishing to share stories of their murals can
write to history@texasescapes.com
with MURAL in the subject line.
© John
Troesser
Published May 1, 2009 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage or recent photos, please contact
us. |
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