Mini murals add splash of color downtown

WASHINGTON — A new set of small murals, painted on plywood and installed on the west side of Purposefully You in Washington, has spruced up an otherwise undecorated municipal parking lot, and has sparked a broader effort to push for public artwork.

The plywood paintings promote Washington’s local food, the farmers market, the Kewash Nature Trail and downtown shops. Another, not-yet-installed piece will depict Washington’s iconic fountain, in the square.

Organizers said the effort started with a fundraiser led by Jenny Morgan, who leveraged her RAGBRAI participation to raise money for a mini mural advertising the Kewash Trail which she frequently bikes.

“You should ride for a cause, or raise money for something you like or believe in,” Morgan said. “I ride the Kewash once a day for sure, sometimes more than once a day. I think it’s great for the community, I see the same people on it every day. It’s a great, safe place for people to walk, ride bikes.”

The ball kept rolling from there, and before long Main Street had the five murals designed and paid for, through a combination of Morgan’s fundraising through T-shirt sales and a sizable anonymous donation.

  Buy Photo

The paintings were designed by Main Street Washington Director Samantha Meyer, and created by Washington artist Paige Flotterud.

“I think it was a great way to upgrade the downtown area, I think people are going to love walking by and seeing the pretty mini-murals and the refreshing vibes that it’s bringing to our town,” Flotterud said. “I’m excited for my girls to walk by and see them as they grow up going to school here.”

In the weeks since the murals went up, Main Street has started its own dedicated public art fund. Meyer said the initiative would help not only with building-side paintings, but potentially sculptures and temporary installations.

Meyer said the installations would bring people downtown, even if money is too tight for them to visit a shop or restaurant.

“This one went really well, and added something to an area that had a whole lot of nothing going on,” she said. “One of the things I’ve been asked about since I started just under two years ago is adding more art downtown … adding that art, it just helps your downtown to be that place where people want to go.”

The art fund was started with its own $500 donation, courtesy of Purposefully You. Owner Leslie Allender said she hoped the cash would spawn more efforts like its own.

“To me, it’s a great steppingstone for things to come,” Allender said. “It creates excitement for people coming into the area that don’t know Washington.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com