APPLETON, Wis. (NBC 26) — Even though the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center moved programming online for the rest of 2020, President Maria Van Laanen was eager to bring some fresh artwork to College Avenue.
"I'm glad that we have this moment where we can do this safely outside," Van Laanen said. "To have the energy of this piece of art coming to life, alive in front of us here, it is something that we've been missing dearly."
Fox Cities P.A.C. partnered with local creator and multimedia artist Irineo Medina with the plan to make a mural with P.A.C. students inspired by the musical Dear Evan Hansen. Ultimately, coronavirus cancelled that opportunity.
"We're trying to find a way to create a mural that would provide inspiration in this time of COVID and remind people of the power that the arts have to bring a community together in an inspirational way," Van Laanen said.
Instead, Medina found inspiration in the pandemic to complete eight different painting that now hang outside the arts center facing College Avenue. Medina finished the eighth one on Saturday morning, in front of the building as a live painting for anyone to see.
"I mean there are some pieces that are pretty literal, like what the P.A.C. means and that sort of thing," Medina said. "But I just thought a lot about togetherness, and the community, and how the P.A.C. is an awesome intersection of people and cultures from all walks of life. So that had a lot of influence in what I'm doing."
Medina has painted a number of public murals for companies and community service initiatives throughout Appleton. His latest was for Crazy Sweet.
"It's a little more nerve wracking that there's not an end goal, and there's people watching me, but altogether, I just really like the energy," Medina said of painting the last piece of his commission in front of a live audience. "My favorite part about creating work in the public is generally the energy I get from the community and people around me, it's what influences me to push harder, further, that sort of thing."
During this time, Medina thinks that it's important to continue investing in public art to heal communities.
"It brings together people, and so I think lifting up those artists in turn influences community and in turn influences togetherness and welcoming," Medina said. "So I think that's what I would consider the most important part about public art, is just that feeling of unity in the community."
