“If they‘re not going to maintain them, then they should paint over them.” These words are a condemnation of the condition of Vernon‘s murals. Perhaps more startling is that they come from the artist responsible for their creation. In the past Michelle Loughery, the lead artist of the murals, has battled the Downtown Vernon Association (DVA) over the maintenance of the murals. However, she is now optimistic that a simple solution can restore the faded works to their original glory. “Seriously, we rubbed some water over the glaze with our hands and it brightened right up,” said Loughery, who said the glaze was applied on the recommendation of the company that donated paint to the mural project. She said that she believes the soft glaze is acting as a dust magnet. “It‘s just a question of who will do it and who is responsible.” It is this question that has led to Loughery‘s frustration. According to Loughery, $40,000 was set aside from the original project budget to deal with
ongoing maintenance. This was verified by former DVA director Susan Allen. However, the money used to promote rather than maintain the artwork. “The only (maintenance) funding I‘m aware of is the fund that the city and the DVA both contribute $5,000 a year to,” said Earl Hansen, executive director of the DVA. Hansen said there is currently $20,000 in the fund but that the DVA is in no rush to spend it. Hansen said the DVA is currently “putting out feelers” to people in the community to assist in washing the murals, which were painted between 1998 and 2001, but was confident a solution would be found soon. “If it is just the glaze causing the problem, then obviously it will be a lot easier and less expensive to deal with,” said Hansen.
ongoing maintenance. This was verified by former DVA director Susan Allen. However, the money used to promote rather than maintain the artwork. “The only (maintenance) funding I‘m aware of is the fund that the city and the DVA both contribute $5,000 a year to,” said Earl Hansen, executive director of the DVA. Hansen said there is currently $20,000 in the fund but that the DVA is in no rush to spend it. Hansen said the DVA is currently “putting out feelers” to people in the community to assist in washing the murals, which were painted between 1998 and 2001, but was confident a solution would be found soon. “If it is just the glaze causing the problem, then obviously it will be a lot easier and less expensive to deal with,” said Hansen. The DVA is looking for volunteers, preferably someone with a cherry picker truck because, “we would like to hold off dipping into (the maintenance) fund until we know the extent of the issue,” Hansen said. Loughery is optimistic that something will be done about the murals soon, finding an ally in Hansen after she was involved in disputes with the DVA in the past. “I‘m working with Earl now and its been really good. I‘ve tried it the other way and it didn‘t work,” said Loughery, recalling her fight with the DVA over copyright issues. “It was a good thing and it still can be a good thing,” said Loughery, “Everywhere I go, people tell me how much they enjoy the Vernon murals.
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