(The following story by Will Duggan appeared on the Dunsmuir News website on May 14.)
DUNSMUIR, Calif. — There was plenty of activity and enthusiasm at the Dunsmuir Chamber of Commerce Spring Mixer last week when the Pine Street Mural project received a grant of $7,500 from Union Pacific Railroad.
Helen Cartwright, who wrote the grant proposal for the mural, accepted the check on behalf of the Dunsmuir Downtown Historic Committee from Union Pacific representative Wes Lujan.
“We’re happy to have this long range partnership with the town of Dunsmuir,” said Lujan. “It’s really impressive the way the mural is coming together. Helen has served to make it happen.”
Cartwright was recently honored with the Alexander Dunsmuir award for her many years of service to the community.
“I really enjoy working for the betterment of Dunsmuir and connecting the past with the present as well as the future,” Cartwright said during the mixer. “The community has so much that needs to be preserved for everyone’s enjoyment. The mural should provide a link of encouragement between it all.”
Work on the mural is scheduled to begin May 15. The mural was designed by John Signor and is approximately 110 feet long and 25 feet at its highest point.
McCloud based artists Ken and Judy Michaelsen are going to paint the mural on the Hotel Dunsmuir wall, going east from Dunsmuir Avenue, down Pine Street toward Sacramento Avenue.
The scene will feature an angler on the Sacramento River in the foreground with a train mid-ground and Mt. Shasta in the background.
It is anticipated that the painting will take about two months to complete.
“We’re looking forward to getting the mural started. The perspective is going to be a unique challenge,” Ken said. “Given the size, scope and angle of the project we have our work cut out for us.”
Once the scaffolding is up and in place at the mural site the Michaelsen’s will begin plotting out the grid for the mural painting. The scale is a quarter inch to the foot. Once completed, the mural is expected to last 25 years before requiring any maintenance or re-painting
The fine jazz music at the mixer, provided by local duo Victor and Allison, was uplifting and the Cinco de Mayo food was delicious.
Cartwright is looking forward to the next Dunsmuir project which she hopes will be solar powered lights for the downtown trees.