1,800 Sq. Ft. Mural Tribute To “Peggy”, L’burg

By Mike Perleberg

Lawrenceburg High School student Miranda Hartry is one of the students assisting with the painting of a new mural on the back of Durbin Bowl.

Mike Perleberg-Eagle 99.3

Adam Gilliam (second from right) points to an area of the mural.

Mike Perleberg-Eagle 99.3

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) – A gigantic, red and winged horse will soon loom over the City of Lawrenceburg skate park, but it's nothing to be afraid of.

Local artists and students have been spending the past couple weeks painting a monstrous mural on the rear exterior wall of the Durbin Bowl building. Mural organizer Adam Gilliam says student volunteers from Lawrenceburg High School came up with the design. He then drew up the concept for the mural which will cover all of the 18-feet high by 100-feet wide wall.

At the center of the mural will be Peggy, the infamous Pegasus-shaped parade clown car encased in a shelter outside the Lawrenceburg American Legion Post on Front Street. The mural will feature other city landmarks.

“There’s Saint Lawrence Church. The Hamline Chapel. Over there will be the Ohio River,” Gilliam pointed out. "It's over halfway done now."

The City of Lawrenceburg approved $5,760 funding for the mural project on August 5, with any leftover funds to be returned to the city. Permissions, supplies and volunteers were then gathered. The work began in late August.

Gilliam, owner of local business Adam’s Art & Supply, reached out to Sunman artist Annie Back for help with the project. Some of the students lending a hand are either earning volunteer hours with the Dearborn Community Foundation or getting paid from the city funding. They are Shelby Rose, Ian Thornhill, Brad Sandlin, Miranda Hartry, and Kori Powell.

A special type of paint is being used to ensure the mural remains bright and looking like new for years to come.

“This paint should last about 15 years. House paint has flatteners in it, but this paint doesn’t, which leaves room for more pigment,” Gilliam said.

Gilliam says there are plans in the works to have a grand reveal of the mural during Lawrenceburg Fall Fest. Details on the reveal may be announced later.