Unveiling New Mural at Grinnell Plaza

A new mural on the Woolworth Building was unveiled to a large crowd on Wednesday, June 18 at 11:30 a.m. Mayor Rich Bridger, Dylan Crouse of Security State Bank, the project sponsor; both the artists, Joel Ostlind and Lisa Norman, and Paul DelRossi, owner of the Woolworth Building, spoke at the ceremony.

The new mural is titled, The Riding on The Wall, and is 10 feet high by 66 feet long.

Crouse spoke a few words thanking those who came together to create the mural.

DelRossi talked about how the project came to be, saying that the old mural, done by Sheridan artist Margaret Marshall, was getting old and weather beaten and he felt the building needed a new look. He called the artist, who now lives in Montana.

The committee came back, and recommended Joel Ostlind would be the appropriate person to do the art. Ostlind thought about it, and said sure, but the huge mural was not his thing.

He contacted an old friend Lisa Norman, an artist who owns Images West Studio, and is a muralist. He told her about the project, and he asked if she would team up with him on the mural. “From that point on, this was given to Lisa, and she climbed up on a scaffold and did the wonderful work you are about to enjoy.”

Lisa said that she appreciated everyone coming to the event and said this is the first time she has painted someone elses artwork. She said the size of the mural was a challenge for her.

She talked about the paint she used, and she wanted to use paint that would last in Wyoming’s climate. She added that the artwork is on panels, so it can be moved and stored if necessary.

She added that the mediums they used were very different from the print to the mural. She said the first challenge was becoming Joel Ostlind.

Wyoming Representative Harriet Hageman was in Sheridan and attended the celebration as well.

The crowd enjoyed the live music, and the lunch that followed the unveiling of the mural.