“ Cattle Drive ” ( 2015 ) - North 4th Street and East Holland Avenue
“ Mercado ” ( 2014 ) - South 6th Street and West Murphy Street
Detail of “ Cattle Drive ”
COMMUNITY EMBRACES MURAL PROJECT
by Kay Plavidal
Downtown Alpine is becoming more beautiful one mural at a time . In 2013 , Alpine Gallery Night Inc . began its Historic Calendar mural project to pay tribute to the community with an annual gift of public art that honors the region ’ s cultural history . Now in its fourth year , the mural project has become a communityowned activity , as residents , students and area artists volunteer hundreds of manhours to make it happen .
The process begins early each year as the board selects a theme and scouts a location that is visible from Holland Avenue ( Alpine ’ s “ main street ”) and from passing Amtrak trains . Then Alpine Gallery Night director Keri Blackman begins writing grants to help fund the mural , which can cost up to $ 30,000 .
A major cost factor is the condition of the wall . The older the building , the more work involved in prepping the surface . That ’ s where the community volunteers come in – scraping , cleaning , filling and fetching – doing whatever it takes to get the wall ready , and then some . In 2014 , volunteers took down an enormous Chinese elm tree to clear the way for the Mercado mural .
The mural project has become a community-owned activity , as residents , students and area artists volunteer hundreds of manhours to make it happen .
“ Poco a Poquito ” ( 2013 ) - North 5th Street and Holland Avenue
Meanwhile , Blackman and awardwinning mural artist Stylle Read contemplate the mural ’ s form and content . When the initial rendering is ready , they share it with the public in what might best be described as a tailgate party . On a clear , dark night , residents sip and snack under the stars while Read aims his super-large projector at the future mural site . First he projects the image , piece-by-piece , onto the wall . Then , when it ’ s all lined up in just the right position , he traces the mural components onto the wall .
Over the following weeks or months , passersby stop to watch as Read paints the mural ; and the fundraising intensifies . For $ 500 , donors become a part of history by purchasing a calendar day that will display their name in perpetuity . Funds are also raised from sales of calendars , t-shirts , coffee mugs and postcards which are sold online , at local galleries and at the dedication party upon completion of the mural .
This year ’ s mural will be a tribute to Texas musicians . It will reside on the northfacing wall of the new Printco building at 108 S . 5th Street .
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