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Street mural brings art, community spirit to downtown Hartington
HARTINGTON — Downtown Hartington is sporting a new splash of red, white and blue with a street mural honoring America’s 250th anniversary and the community’s commitment to public art.
Organized by the Hartington Creative District and created by local artist Angie Peitz, the large-scale mural was funded through grants from the Hartington Community Foundation and the Cedar County Tourism Board.
Miranda Becker, Hartington’s economic development coordinator and district administrator for the Hartington Creative District, said the grants which are available annually to community organizations allow groups to invest in projects that enhance Hartington’s quality of life and encourage people to spend time downtown.
Located adjacent to the veteran’s memorial, the artwork is intended to inspire patriotism while adding another interactive piece of public art to the city’s downtown.
The idea grew from the success of the Candyland- themed street mural created for Candlelight Christmas.
“We saw the community’s positive reaction to the Candyland street mural that was done for Candlelight Christmas,” Becker said. “We wanted to keep that same excitement going in a different way.”
The Creative District also saw the project as an opportunity to commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial while furthering its mission of creating a vibrant downtown.
“This project fits with our vision of creating a welcoming downtown area for both local residents and visitors — an area that is infused with history, art and entertainment,” Becker said.
For Peitz, owner of Etched Impressions and a longtime artist, designing the project combined her passion for art with her love of community.
“I hope that when they see it, they get a feeling of love for their country as much as I do,” Peitz said. “There’s 250 years of pride that we need to appreciate where we live and honor the people who serve it.”
Although the finished mural now appears effortless, completing it required eight days of work and the help of numerous volunteers.
Crews often worked late into the evening to minimize traffic disruptions. Peitz said using specialized street-marking paint created unexpected challenges because it dried almost immediately, while gravel, wind and traffic required constant adjustments.
“It took a lot longer painting it than it normally would have with any other latex,” she said. “But I’m hoping because we utilized that, it’s going to last a lot longer.”
Despite the challenges, Peitz said the project quickly became a community effort. Bradley Forinash, Darien Forinash, Everly Zach, Paisley Colier, Aaralynn Collier, Amber Collier, Judy Smith, Lisa Smith, Sara Reiser, Karen Haberer and Tyler Peitz all pitched in to help complete the mural.
“It was definitely a labor of love with the community involved,” she said. “This town is full of so many creative people.”
The mural also drew spectators throughout the week as residents stopped by each evening to watch its progress. Once the barricades came down, Peitz said the first driver through the intersection wasn’t even from the area.
“They rolled down the window and said, ‘That is so amazing. Thank you so much for doing it,’” she recalled.
For Becker, projects like the street mural help reinforce Hartington’s identity while encouraging residents and visitors to experience downtown in a new way.
“Public art is so important to our vision,” she said. “It creates beautiful spaces and is an easy and interactive way for both residents and visitors to see and interact with art on an everyday basis.”
Peitz hopes the mural will do more than brighten downtown streets. She hopes it inspires others to become involved in future community projects.
“You don’t have to be a chamber member to be involved in your community,” she said. “If you have an afternoon to help with something, step up and help because this is your community just as much as it’s my community. Every person that helps makes the community that much better.”
Becker credited Peitz, the volunteers, the City of Hartington and residents who were patient during temporary street closures for making the project possible.
As residents and visitors pass over the mural in the months ahead, organizers hope it serves as both a celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary and a reminder of what can be accomplished when a community works together.
