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Click the arrows on the right to play and you'll get a nice musical accompaniment!!
Number 30 will be installed tomorrow in Chicago Heights, IL
This story tells the story of Henry Ostermann, the Field Secretary for the LH . . . and here's his story:
"Chicago Heights, an important stop on the Lincoln Highway, is known as the “Crossroads of the Nation” for its famed intersection of the Lincoln and Dixie Highways. The McEldowny Bridge, where the Lincoln Highway crossed Thorn Creek, included the innovations of separate, protected pedestrian walkways and concrete lanterns, all welcomed features to meet the needs of heavier traffic on the Lincoln Highway. Henry C. Ostermann, the Lincoln Highway Association Field Secretary, crossed this bridge at least twice a year to inspect the new highway from coast-to-coast, driving an average of 15,000 miles per year."
As always, mural panel engineering and border work by the stellar Joe Marshall . . . my design and painted by the preeminent Bill Hueg.
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Thanks again, folks . . . I'd be sick of these posts if I were y'all . . . but they hopefully helped give people who would be interested in painting murals more of a base of how to start, how to charge, how to do . . . everything. And to be honest, I'm a bit burned out on 'muriels' as a full time shop effort - in addition to the signs.
Not complaining - dear Lord no . . . but too much ice cream gives you a bellyache and a fat azz. Know what I mean? There comes a point when you can get a little bored or resentful or whatever . . . and then some of the joy and excitement start to dwindle. I got something few get - a legacy project. For that I will always be grateful - and humbled.
But even a ripe apple knows when to fall to the ground. I'm ready to be joyful in something new . . . and that'll be coming soon also.
Bob, over time my confidence in setting dimension and motion was found in creative cropping and placements of certain objects in the image . . . The truck falling off the side of the borders in Crest Hill #1 http://drivelincolnhighway.com/img/murals/cresthill.jpg or the horse and man coming out of the frame on Genoa http://lincolnhighwaynews.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/il_genoamural.jpg The obelisk became all too obvious when I cropped and faded the background - and there it was sticking up . . . I like the text placement on this one also. We did something similar in Joliet . . .
That's one of the toughest issues on these - how to add the stories - and add those damn logos we have to put on for the sponsors.
The borders had been in a previous design that wasn't used due to the community pulling out of the program. It's one of Mike Jackson's border ornaments from his collection. I let Bill mix the colors completely on this one. Why stick your nose in when someone as experienced and talented as Bill is can do it in his sleep? A no-brainer. I did very little work on this one - other than design.
I certainly have had a lifetime of experience in 4 long years. No question. I gave it my best - and reached deeper for skills I didn't know I had.
So the lesson we should all learn from the experiences we face?
Be effing FEARLESS. To doubt yourself kills the genius inside you . . . inside every single one of us. I know.
I used to be my best 'doubter' . . . and in two short years I muddled through these learning how to FINALLY paint a pictorial. But failure - when your 'teacher' is Mr. Hueg - is not an option. We've worked together for 20 years on and off so getting that 'education' from a friend is doubly cool . . .!!
Thanks for the encouragement, commentary and support that only friends and artists can share. It helped more than you know.
-------------------- Jay Allen ShawCraft Sign Co. Machesney Park, IL jallen222@aol.com http://www.shawcraft.com/
"The object of the superior man is truth." -Confucius Posts: 1285 | From: Machesney Park, IL, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Always a pleasure to come on here and see another posting Jay. Followed these through since you first started posting them and it is still just as exciting now to watch each step as it was then. looking forward for the next.
-------------------- Sam Staffan Mackinaw Art & Sign 721 S. Nokomis St. Mackinaw City, MI dstaffan@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1694 | From: Mackinaw City, MI | Registered: Mar 2004
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-------------------- Catharine C. Kennedy CCK Graphics 1511 Route 28 Chatham Center, NY 12184 cck1620@taconic.net "Look at me, Look at me, Look at me now! I't's fun to have fun, But you have to know how!" Posts: 2173 | From: downtown Chatham Center, NY | Registered: Feb 2004
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