The Viva Cuba mural inspection team reviewed all the murals for damage and maintenance issues. Viva Cuba members Peggy Holland, Kim Roedemeier, and Jill Barnett made the inspection tour with Dennis Roedemeier and painter Suzie Haffer.
Most people think that once Cuba’s murals are painted that the story ends. However, Viva Cuba, the community organization that commissioned the murals, realizes that is not the end of the story. Annual inspection and maintenance is necessary. In the early years of the project, there was more emphasis on raising funds for murals, picking artists and topics, and the actual painting. Now, it requires a lot of TLC and attention to detail to extend the life of the aging murals.
Viva Cuba members conduct an annual mural inspection to report the condition and recommendations of repairs for each mural, as well as to assess the general upkeep of each site. This allows Viva Cuba to detect any changes and address problems and deterioration before major unsightly and, perhaps irreparable, damage occurs. At least that’s the plan. Occasionally, because of weather or structural conditions, problems arise suddenly to require attention.
Surveying the problems is only part of the solution. Then, it is necessary to evaluate if there are structural changes or paint deterioration or if an outside force (person or vehicle) has caused a problem. For instance at the river mural, there may be moisture seeping up onto the mural surface from the ground. It may be necessary to run a drain along the base of the mural. Sometimes another expert opinion has to be called in to suggest alternatives and offer information.
One of the areas of concern this year was the landscaping in front of the Al West mural and the straightening of the lights on the murals. Plans were noted to improve these two areas. Even though there is an annual inspection, mural maintenance, including lighting the murals, is ongoing throughout the year. Viva Cuba still has fundraisers to provide for mural maintenance and other beautification projects.
During the inspection, notes are made of findings, possible solutions, further information needed, and jobs to be completed.
On some murals areas. paint needs to be scraped and touched up by painter Suzie Haffer who has worked on mural maintenance in the past. Last year, the border of the A.J. Barnett/Model T mural had changed color over time and had to be repainted to its original color. At times moisture causes havoc with the paint. A few years ago Oregon painter Don Gray returned to Cuba to do some restoration work on the Civil War murals on Buchanan Street because moisture had gotten behind the paint. Then some structural framing had to be re-engineered by Kevin Britton to correct the original problem. Missouri artist Ray Harvey has also surveyed the murals that he has painted and done small amounts of restoration on them.
The team checked an area on the Amelia mural.
The team discussed the overall condition of the murals as well as specific problems that have arisen.
A few years ago, a construction sign fell and gouged a hole in the Amelia mural, and mural artist Shelly Smith Steiger did restoration and repair work for this mural. This year some seam work will be necessary in the area where the artists signed their names.
The seams on the Amelia mural need some attention.
In past years, nn area high on the Gold Star Boys mural required scraping and painting.
Also in the past, one of the original mural team Leslie Faust returned to Cuba to do some restoration work on the Al West mural. This year the planted area needs landscaping updates.
Mural maintenance and restoration isn’t a glamorous part of the mural project, but it is necessary to keep Cuba’s aging murals looking as good as possible. Please bear with us as the work is underway. And thank you for all stages of your support of the mural project. Not only do the murals make our town stand out visually, but they also tell the story of our local and national history.
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