Be part of art

Those wishing to leave a lasting mark on downtown McMinnville will have their chance Monday, May 18 from 1-4 p.m.

Florida-based artist Lucinda Nehemias has been working on a Dottie West mural on the east exterior wall of the Park Theater since Tuesday and is ready for a little assistance. The public is invited to help with the project. Potential public painters are invited to RSVP on the Park Theater Facebook page. Walk-up painters are also welcome. Participation will be first-come, first-served.

"We will be inviting the first 100 or so community members to participate in the project during this time and help paint some of the mural," Park Theater Assistant Manager Ashley Gillentine Wright said. "This will be artist-led and Lucinda will be guiding and instructing participants about where and how to make their marks. No experience is necessary and anyone of any age who can hold a paint brush and follow instructions is welcome to participate. This will be weather dependent, and updates will be available on our social media if there are any changes."

Nehemias' painting perch has afforded her a stunning view which has inspired the background of her mural.

The idea of involving the public in the project was a vital piece of the puzzle since the inception of the idea to pay tribute to Dottie West, a McMinnville native and Country Music Hall of Fame member.

"It was important to us from the beginning to find a way to have the community participate in this project," Wright said. "When the idea to have folks come and actually add paint to the mural came up, the rest of the concept for the project took shape. Dottie loved McMinnville and always appreciated how this community raised her and gave her the tools to become the performer that she was. I think having members of our community take part in and literally make their marks on this mural is very appropriate for the legacy that Dottie left us.

“This entire process has been based on when the weather, the wall and the paint will cooperate to provide the perfect conditions for the project. If everything continues to go as planned, we will be holding a small mural dedication on Friday, May 22 at 5:30 p.m. before our Backline bluegrass show at the Park. We invite to community to come out and help us celebrate the mural, our muralist and, of course, Dottie.“

For more information on the project, see the Main Street Journal's previously published story here.