Tamaqua launches community mural project

If you enjoy painting and want to contribute toward the beautification of the community, Tamaqua has the perfect project on the horizon.

Join the community in the “Choose Happiness,” Paint the Mural days, which will be hosted over the next four weeks throughout Tamaqua. The inaugural first-painting day will be Sunday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Tamaqua Summerfest, Depot Park.

“I am both an artist and board member at the walk-in arts center,” said Lorraine Felker. “We have been trying to do some outreach to get art into the communities. The murals seemed like a nice way to do that. Our Haven foundation put a mural up on the building in Schuylkill Haven and it went really well. We were in conversations with the Mural Arts of Philadelphia to see how they did it, their processes, and materials and all of that.”

Felker added, “We’re trying to make each project collaborative within each community. We’re doing one in Pottsville, one in Minersville and one in Tamaqua. Each mural is very different. It’s going to be fun to see when it’s all done, how the communities react to each one because they’re all different.”

Many organizations are teaming up to make the project possible, including the Tamaqua Area School District.

“We’re working collaboratively with the Tamaqua Community Arts Center and the school district,” Felker explained. “Tamaqua is unique, in that they too, have an arts center, so we have a built-in community that we can work with. With their motto of ‘Choose Happiness,’ that then became the theme for the mural.”

Art teacher Lori Remmel and her students reached out to the Tamaqua community and asked, what makes you happy?

The students designed the 10-foot by 25-foot mural.

“The students and Ms. Remmel created this mural that’s a lovely scene; it’s got grassy meadows, a nice sky, and a train off to the side. Buried within this lovely scene are 300 items that make the Tamaqua community happy,” Felker said.

Everyone is invited to join in the creation of the artwork that will be put on display in town for decades. There are various dates and times to join the activity.

“We want the entire community involved in it,” Felker said.

Panels will be connected and sealed with a UV coating to protect it from the sun.

“It should last anywhere between 20 and 30 years,” Felker said.

For more details on painting days, or how to get involved, contact the Tamaqua Community Arts Center at 570-668-1192.

Upcoming Paint the Mural events:

Sunday -Summerfest, Depot Park, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

June 19 — Tamaqua Community Arts Center, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

June 19 — Wagon Work, 5-7 p.m.

June 25 — Tamaqua High Rise, 10 a.m. -1 p.m.

June 30 — Tamaqua Community Arts Center, 5-7 p.m.

July 2 — Tamaqua Bungalow Swimming Pool, 12-2:30 p.m.

July 3 — Tamaqua Station Platform, 6-8 p.m.

July 11 — Tamaqua Station Platform, 6-8 p.m.