Ceremonies were held on Sunday, Nov. 5 to dedicate the new mural located on the courthouse square in West Union.

 

Work of local artists placed on exhibit – 

By Patricia Beech – 
Photo by Kaiajade – 

The Adams County Arts Council on Sunday, Nov. 5 dedicated their new mural located on Courthouse Square in West Union.
“The Arts Council is always looking for ways to brighten up the county,” said Arts Council member Jessica Huxmann who also served on the Mural Committee. “We want to spread the good work of local artists to help them reach a larger audience and have a greater impact.”
The mural, designed by Xavier University Art Professor and local artist Suzanne Michele Chouteau, is 19 feet tall and 62.5 feet long and took over 250 hours to create.
Painted on the building housing the Foster Law office, with permission from Judge Alan W. Foster and Peggy Bertram Foster, the painting depicts Buzzard Roost Rock, an iconic rock promontory five miles east of downtown West Union.
In addition to Chouteau, others contributing to the mural’s creation included Chris Bedel, Preserve Director of The Edge of Appalachia Preserve System for the Cincinnati Museum Center; Elijah Bedel, film major at Xavier University; Anita Harover and Brad Gray, who did the wall preparation and sealing; Doug and Susan Ruehl, who provided the scaffolding; the Cincinnati Museum Center; and Judge Alan Foster, who Huxmann says “helped steer the design toward bright, bold colors that jump out at you.”
The mural was dedicated to per-eminent ecologist E. Lucy Braun, who taught at the University of Cincinnati from 1914-1948. Braun studied the rare and unusual plants found in Adams County and published her work in the landmark “Vegetation of The Mineral Springs Region”. She identified Buzzardroost Rock as a site worthy of protection and worked with the Nature Conservancy to purchase the rock in 1960. In 1967, Buzzardroost Rock Nature Preserve was dedicated as a National Natural Landmark under the USDA Department of the Interior’s National Natural Landmark Program.
Following the mural dedication, an art show featuring the works of local artists was held in the county government building on Cross Street.