WARSAW — Warsaw officials celebrated the completion of its newest mural Friday and an official with the company that authorized it — AkzoNobel — confirmed they're considering another one in the city.

Muralist Chris Catalogna finished the mural — this one on the west side of the YMCA’s new downtown facility — in just four weeks.

"Luckily, it was super warm in October so that was awesome, but I knew I was pushing my luck if I was to go into the last week of October," Catalogna said.

The mural honors the old Madison Elementary and shows children streaming out of the old school which had been located where the new YMCA now stands.

The west-facing mural is adjacent to a new city park which is part of an overall residential development by G&G Hauling and Excavating.

Support for the mural was led by the Warsaw Public Arts Commission and other groups including the YMCA of Kosciusko County

AxoNobel, a global supplier of paints and coatings, proposed the mural as part of its initiative to add color to communities across the world.

Catalogna said while he's done numerous other murals, but this is the first that is adjacent to a public park.

During the project, he said he often chatted with children and parents who were visiting the park, which led to a better understanding of the neighborhood and the impact.

"Until you're here talking to people, you really don't know so I got a really good perspective on what this mural's going to do and the kids — who's going to be impacted," he said.

AkzoNobel’s Warsaw Site Manager, Hector Loyola, thanked Catalogna for his work.

The company has completed 3,059 community projects globally and Loyola said they were “eager to bring our passion for coloring”  to Warsaw.

YMCA CEO Jim Swanson said he appreciated the way the mural helps keep the history of Madison alive.

Paulette Davis, with the Arts Commission, thanked AkzoNobel for contacting the commission and giving it the opportunity to further expand its mission of expanding public art.

Others supporting the project included the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Warsaw, and Clearly Kosciusko.

Newanna Moore, management assistant for AkzoNobel, confirmed the company wants to do another mural in Warsaw.

“We’re hoping to do another one soon,” Moore said. “I have been talking with Suzie Light with the arts commission to see what our next options are.”

She said they’re looking at a possible location and a theme for the mural.

[caption id="attachment_101087" align="aligncenter" width="886"] Various groups on Friday celebrated the completion of the mural on the west side of the YMCA's new facility on West Fort Wayne Street. The mural was funded by AkzoNobel. Part of a new city park can be seen to the left. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The post With one mural complete, AkzoNobel hints another is being considered appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — The Warsaw Public Arts Commission will unveil its latest installation on Friday afternoon at Central Park.

The newest piece of public art in Warsaw — a sculpture titled Reflection by Gail Christofferson of Bowling Green Ohio — will be unveiled at 4 p.m. Friday on the west side of Central Park. Public comments will start at 4:30 p.m.

[caption id="attachment_97394" align="alignright" width="320"] Ohio artist Gail Christofferson, left, helps two participants add glass this summer at Third Friday to a community art project that will be unveiled Friday at Central Park in Warsaw. Photo provided.[/caption]

Pieces of the sculpture came together this summer at a series of events in which the public was invited to add colorful, small slabs of glass to one of several mosaic panels, which will be part of a 10-foot by 10-foot sculpture big enough for adults to walk under.

Public participation came from people at Cardinal Center, Wagon Wheel and Third Friday, among others.

Suzie Light, one of two original members of the arts commission which was established nearly ten years ago under former Mayor Joe Thallemer, describes the new sculpture as one of a kind.

"This is going to be iconic," Light said.

Christofferson was chosen from some 20 artists who sought to carry out a sense of "creative convergence."

“What we were looking for was an artist who would understand we needed the community to be part of the making of the art,” Light said.

She thinks people will be able to connect with the artwork.

"To be able to look up and say, 'Hey, I was a part of that. This was part of my artwork in the community,' "Light Said.

Christofferson and two colleagues on Wednesday were busy assembling the sculpture, which will include a bench underneath for visitors to sit on.

Reflections will be the second art installation that plays off sunlight, with the other being "Radiance," a sculpture installed several years ago just a few hundred yards away on the shores of Center Lake at the end of North Buffalo Street.

Light said two more projects are in the works. Those include a mural that could be unveiled later this year and another that could come to fruition in 2025.

Light and Paulette Davis, another original member of the arts commission, talked about public art this week for In The Know, the public affairs show you can hear Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Kensington Digital Media radio stations.

In The Know can be heard at the following times:

News Now Warsaw (99.7 FM and 1480 AM):

Fridays at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Saturdays at 7 a.m. 

Sundays at 7 a.m. & 2 p.m.

WRSW (107.3):

Sundays at 6 a.m.

Willie (103.5 FM):

Sundays at 6 a.m.

The post New Central Park sculpture assembled (in part) by community appeared first on News Now Warsaw.