Strong Together - Odd Fellows Temple Mural Project
Donation protected
Calling all patrons and sponsors! We need your help to fix our broken mural.
As if there isn't enough going on in the world today, our student mural installed on the Odd Fellows Temple building (Main Street in Saugerties, NY) has been destroyed by the recent wind storms. This wall is a focal point as you enter our village and the mural was a labor of love created by young local artists through my Mural Arts program as a gift to our beautiful community.
I contacted the village office (Mayor Murphy and Lisa Mayone) for thoughts on a replacement mural and suggested creating a new work of art, something inspirational to uplift our community and be a placeholder for the strength and endurance of this unprecedented time. They were eagerly on board and Mayor Murphy suggested a theme of “Strong Together” as a sign of the incredible acts of kindness seen in our village as we live through this pandemic.
My goal was to design a mural that speaks to our community in a simple and direct way. The photo to the right shows the new proposal that signifies unity, strength and hope (left photo shows the broken mural). The original concept was a fist in the air but that felt too aggressive, and people holding hands isn't in alignment with social distancing...so we settled into hands together creating a light filled heart, representing healing, love and solidarity. The hands are painted as a star filled sky, representing universality, all in this together. Unification, not separation.
Along with so many other small businesses, our art space here has been hit hard financially. I’m asking for help from patrons and sponsors to make this project happen. I will volunteer my design/time/skills for this project and am only asking for assistance to cover our overhead via gofundme. Mayor Murphy has generously offered to help raise half the needed funds through private donors. That said, I am looking to raise $3,000 for materials (including higher grade wood and to shore up the existing framework) plus an assistant and to cover expenses while making this happen. 50% of any funds raised above our goal will go to the meal program in our village to assist feeding families in need, the remaining will go towards upgrades here at the OFT (deep cleaning, painting the ballroom floor, etc).
This is Grassroots Community Engaged Art and we look forward to creating a lasting beacon of hope to share with our village. Thank you for your kind consideration, shares and donations...your generosity is greatly appreciated.
If you prefer to send a check:
Payable to: Kelli Bickman
Odd Fellows Temple Art & Theater
220 Main Street, 2nd floor
Saugerties, NY 12477
Sponsorship accepted via paypal or venmo (comment PROJECT INSPIRE) - [email redacted]
Stay safe and strong.
In Solidarity,
Kelli Bickman @The Odd Fellows Temple Art & Theater Space
www.kellibickman.net
As if there isn't enough going on in the world today, our student mural installed on the Odd Fellows Temple building (Main Street in Saugerties, NY) has been destroyed by the recent wind storms. This wall is a focal point as you enter our village and the mural was a labor of love created by young local artists through my Mural Arts program as a gift to our beautiful community.
I contacted the village office (Mayor Murphy and Lisa Mayone) for thoughts on a replacement mural and suggested creating a new work of art, something inspirational to uplift our community and be a placeholder for the strength and endurance of this unprecedented time. They were eagerly on board and Mayor Murphy suggested a theme of “Strong Together” as a sign of the incredible acts of kindness seen in our village as we live through this pandemic.
My goal was to design a mural that speaks to our community in a simple and direct way. The photo to the right shows the new proposal that signifies unity, strength and hope (left photo shows the broken mural). The original concept was a fist in the air but that felt too aggressive, and people holding hands isn't in alignment with social distancing...so we settled into hands together creating a light filled heart, representing healing, love and solidarity. The hands are painted as a star filled sky, representing universality, all in this together. Unification, not separation.
Along with so many other small businesses, our art space here has been hit hard financially. I’m asking for help from patrons and sponsors to make this project happen. I will volunteer my design/time/skills for this project and am only asking for assistance to cover our overhead via gofundme. Mayor Murphy has generously offered to help raise half the needed funds through private donors. That said, I am looking to raise $3,000 for materials (including higher grade wood and to shore up the existing framework) plus an assistant and to cover expenses while making this happen. 50% of any funds raised above our goal will go to the meal program in our village to assist feeding families in need, the remaining will go towards upgrades here at the OFT (deep cleaning, painting the ballroom floor, etc).
This is Grassroots Community Engaged Art and we look forward to creating a lasting beacon of hope to share with our village. Thank you for your kind consideration, shares and donations...your generosity is greatly appreciated.
If you prefer to send a check:
Payable to: Kelli Bickman
Odd Fellows Temple Art & Theater
220 Main Street, 2nd floor
Saugerties, NY 12477
Sponsorship accepted via paypal or venmo (comment PROJECT INSPIRE) - [email redacted]
Stay safe and strong.
In Solidarity,
Kelli Bickman @The Odd Fellows Temple Art & Theater Space
www.kellibickman.net
Organizer
Kelli Bickman
Organizer
Saugerties, NY