About 75 volunteers picked up paint cans and brushes to help a Chicago artist paint a mural on the side of the Veterans of Foreign War post in Frankfort. Mauricio Ramirez started the project Saturday and on Wednesday, with a little coaching and a lot of help, nearly finished it.
“You know, it’s not just me going in there and leaving, finishing and not really saying anything. I wanted to engage with the community, and by allowing people to kind of come in and actually help paint the mural with these little sectioned-off pieces, it shares just that more ownership of the mural.”
Josephine Sculpture Park officials put together a panel that chose Ramirez over more than 60 other artists. Ramirez said getting help from local folks is a regular feature of his work with which he’s very comfortable.
“Did you have to say to anyone, ‘Whoa, not there!’ “No, everyone was pretty good. Maybe some kids who were obviously just being kids, but everyone was really enthusiastic and took it pretty seriously. It was awesome.”
The mural features portions of an American flag and nods to diversity, civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s march in Frankfort in 1964 – and our men and women in the armed services.
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