AMERICAN MURAL PROJECT  

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Summer flew by in the studio as I worked on several new sections of
the mural. Coming off 18 months of projects with students in DC
schools, and the success of our Washington Project at the Martin
Luther King Library, I had to adjust to being alone in the studio up
on the ladder painting again. But it didn't take too long.

As great as it is to be painting, the moment has come to make this
happen. This fall through 2013 we are redoubling efforts with large
potential donors to get the funds we need to begin construction.

photo by Judy Griesedieck

Progress in the Studio

The two sections underway are the last two unfinished on the right side of the mural. We will now be able to join enough major pieces of it together to give a viewer the sense of the finished work. We just need the roof.

photo by Anita Garnett

Led by Shari and Tim Marks, preparations for our members' party at the Winsted mill began in late August as we opened up and swept out two huge new rooms on the mural floor. On Friday evening, September 21st, a great crowd of old friends and many new ones showed up in the expanded space. Returning to the barbeques, Mark Waldron and Tim served up over 200 hundred hamburger sliders and 25 dozen hot dogs. Shari and Cindy Rines handled everything from food service to hospitality tours. Frank Finch, Mark Ronaldes, John Laveri, and Alan Colevecchio arrived early and were the last to leave. Incredibly resilient, whether it was lighting luminaries or hoisting 16-foot mural pieces into place, they were the ultimate production crew. Jim and Nancy Garfield tended bar. Chris Battista, once again, provided the beer and wine at cost, a giant gift to AMP.  The best new feature of the party was having friends from Swamp Yankee - Darren Winston, Joe Heacox, Rob Daalhuyzen, and Jim Krissel - play for several hours with all the loading-dock doors open on a perfect autumn night.

We called the event Raise the Roof, and every one of our guests got the idea. This was a totally upbeat group including Town Manager Dale Martin and Selectmen Candy Perez, George Closson, Glenn Albanesius and Michael Renzullo. With the obvious challenge ahead to raise several million dollars, it is wonderful to know how the town is behind us.

Once again we had the luck to have professional photographer Anita Garnet documenting the event. For more of her photos, click here.

U.S Army CPT James R. Doddemeade

For several years, we have been looking for someone close by who would be willing and able to lead a project honoring the US military on the mural. Liz Doddemeade whose husband, Jim, recently returned from Iraq, volunteered to head up this project. Her sister Miriam, now living in Washington state and also part of a military family, has agreed to lend her time and ideas to the effort as our section leader out west. We have the great team lined up and, best part, Jim and Liz live next door.

If you or someone you know, relative or friend, is presently enlisted or has served and has a uniform nametag to donate, we would love to add your contribution to the stealth section of the mural.  

Click here and go to the helmet icon for more information. 

The American Mural Project is a three-dimensional painting so large that a
special building is being created for it. It is a celebration of American ingenuity
and commitment to work. The project seeks to inspire, to invite collaboration,
and to reveal to people of all ages the many contributions they can make to
American culture.  It is intended as a tribute and a challenge.

Board of Directors  

Frank Finch, Jim Garfield, Ellen Griesedieck, Joe Griesedieck,  

Susan Lane, Thad Meyerriecks, Gayle Moraski, Sam Posey, Mark Ronaldes,  

JoAnn Ryan, Rosellen Schnurr, David Stack, John Whitman
Founding Board  

Huyler Held (1925-2011), Ivan Kronenfeld, Paul Newman (1925-2008),  

Mehmet Oz, Peter Philip, Ileene Smith Sobel, Frank Stella

PO Box 538 · 100 Whiting Street · Winsted, CT 06098 · (860) 379-3006
www.americanmuralproject.org