 The Model T Mural Michelle Loughery is an artist, organizer, and educator in public art with over 20 years experience in out door murals. She is from rural British Columbia, Canada. Her teenage daughter and local artist Shelly Smith Steiger assisted Loughery. The Apple Barrel Mural Shelly Smith Steiger is a 1986 graduate of Crawford County R-II School in Cuba. She attended Mineral Area College with an emphasis in commercial art. She also attended the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas, where she majored in Art Education. Shelly specialized in residential custom art projects in Arkansas and Missouri. Besides working on Cuba's murals, she visited Canada for a training session on painting outdoor murals. Shelly lives in Cuba with her husband and two daughters. Gold Star Boys Train Mural Michelle Loughery of Canada, bringing along her assistant Sara Lindsay, returned to Cuba for this mural. Shelly Smith Steiger collaborated on this mural. The Truman/Fair Mural Jay Ferger, a resident of Webster Groves, is a graduate of Webster University. His many years of experience include associations with Maritz, Opera Theater of St. Louis, the Santa Fe Opera, the Minnesota Opera, and the St. Louis Symphony. The Amelia Earhart Mural Local artist Shelly Smith Steiger, who worked on the first three murals, created this mural with the assistance of Julie Balogh Brand. Shelly is profiled above. Julie has attended many art workshops with nationally known artists and studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. She owns and operates a fine arts ceramic studio in Cuba. Mayor Al West Mural The mural was painted by artists from the Whitesitt Group in St. Louis, MO, which is known for its architectural illustrations. Bob Whitesitt is now retired from his company although he is still painting. Prosperity Corner Mural Kelly Poling of Chillicothe, MO is an experienced outdoor muralist, but he is also known for a variety of techniques. He owns a frame shop and gallery in Chillicothe. The Millworks/Roberts-Judson Mural Artists Shelly Smith Steiger and Julie Balogh Brand once more teamed on this mural. Another hometown artist Julie Nixon Krovicka assisted on the mural by painting the figure of her father Francis Nixon, who worked at Roberts-Judson for 54 years. Krovicka is a South City St. Louis artist who works as a sous chef on the weekends at the Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta, where her husband is the chef. The River Mural Local artists Smith Steiger and Balogh Brand (see profiles above) were the artists on this mural. In April 2005, Brand created her newest commission with the birth of her son, Ian. The Civil War Mural Panels The Civil War Murals were painted by Artist Don Gray of California who has years of experience as a painter, muralist, illustrator, teacher, and has been involved in many public art projects. See dongraystudio.com for more information. The text panels were painted by Julie Nixon Krovicka. The Bette Davis Mural & History at the 4-Way Mural Ray Harvey, a Missouri artist from the Washington, Missouri area, painted both the Bette Davis mural and the History at the 4-Way mural. Harvey received an Associates Degree in Graphics and Technical Illustration. After many years of working for Maritz Company, he branched off into freelance work. He has worked on an array of projects including commissions for the Chase Park Plaza, St. Albans Country Club, Merrill-Lynch, and Gateway Arch Museum. Harvey enjoys doing public art and hopes it will some day be as prevalent as billboards. Harvey also has indoor murals in Cuba at Holy Cross Catholic Church on Smith Street and at Victorian Manor at 901 Hwy. DD. For more information, go to rayharveyart.com. Harvey and his wife Paula have opened Choco L'Art, a gourmet bistro in Washington, MO at the corner of Elm and Main, where some of Harvey's paintings are displayed. |