The city of
Silverton, Oregon
Silverton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. The city is situated along the 45th parallel north, 45th parallel about northeast of Salem, Oregon, Salem, in the eastern margins of the broad alluvial plain of the Willamette Valley. ...
, has more than 30 murals displayed in public spaces. Many have been funded and maintained by the Silverton Mural Society, established in 1992. The artworks focus on local history and people, such as
Homer Davenport,
Donald Pettit, and
Bobbie the Wonder Dog.
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was an American painter and illustrator. His works have a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of Culture of the United States, the country's culture. Roc ...
's ''
Four Freedoms'' (1943) series was reproduced in Silverton in 1994.
History
The Silverton Mural Society, established in 1992, has supported the installation of 30 approximately murals, as of early 2018.
The group's formation was inspired by
Chemainus
Chemainus is a community within the municipality of North Cowichan in the Chemainus River, Chemainus Valley on the east coast of southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Founded as an unincorporated logging town in 1858, Chemainu ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
's mural program and accompanied the creation of the Silverton Murals Beautification Team.
The murals are well-maintained, costing the Silverton Mural Society approximately $10,000–$12,000 annually, as of 2017.
[
]
Works
Silverton has "an usually high number of murals" displayed on the exteriors of buildings in downtown, focused on local history and people.[ Artworks depict Homer Davenport, Donald Pettit,][ and Bobbie the Wonder Dog, as well as ]Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was an American painter and illustrator. His works have a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of Culture of the United States, the country's culture. Roc ...
's '' Four Freedoms'' (1943) series.[
The long mural of Bobbie is installed along Town Square Park. The reproduced ''Four Freedoms'' series was completed by David McDonald in 1994.][
The iPhone app Silverton Murals describes the history of specific artworks to users.]
Reception
According to ''The Oregonian
''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the West Coast of the United States, U.S. West Coast, founded as a weekly by Tho ...
'' Terry Richard and Mike Davis, "Silverton's decade-long affair with murals has been good for business, getting some visitors out of their cars and gives them an excuse to walk around town."[ Justin Much of the '']Statesman Journal
The ''Statesman Journal'' is the major daily newspaper published in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1851 as the ''Oregon Statesman'', it later merged with the ''Capital Journal'' to form the current newspaper, the second-oldest in Orego ...
'' has said the murals are "one of the drawing points that helps maintain Silverton as a magnet for many visitors annually".[
]
See also
* Murals of Estacada, Oregon
References
External links
* {{Commons category-inline, Murals in Silverton, Oregon
Silverton Mural Society
Murals in Oregon
Public art in Oregon
Silverton, Oregon
Tourist attractions in Marion County, Oregon