October 19 Issue - Newspaper - Page 5
EDITION 8
Page 5
October 19 2023
THE MURALS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
By Toni Fitch
Rod Stewart said it best when he sang “every picture tells a story.” For centuries that has been true, from cave dwellings of the prehistoric era
right on into today. Even though everything around us is high-tech this and HD that, stories are still being told thanks to the art form of murals.
They can be used as historic tools. They can be used to brighten the façade of boarded up storefronts. And most importantly, they are a way to
revitalize neighborhoods and bring communities closer together with their messages. Washington County has many examples of murals in action.
Let’s take a closer look.
Bradford House in Washington
These photos were taken from the Bradford House website. The murals were painted by artist Diane Adams of Claysville with assistance from
students from Washington High School. Thanks to funding from the Rural Arts Collective, the artwork depicts the history of the Whiskey
Rebellion.
George Washington Hotel in Washington
Photos from historichotels.org. Murals were
created by the late Claysville artist Malcolm
Parcell for the Pioneer Room. There are six
historic murals in all, "The Conestoga
Wagon," "Pony Express," "Pack Horse,"
"Stage Coach," "Lafayette visits
Washington," and "David Bradford's
Escape."
According to artist Kelsey Miller’s Instagram, some of the items featured in the mural include
a map of the city limits, a laurel, the state flower of PA, and a catfish which was the city's first
recorded name.
Kaleidoscope II in Washington
The newest mural to the collection that paints uptown
Washington was just dedicated in September. A drum
circle and potluck were held in celebration. The sketch
is the mural in its earliest form. The artwork was done
by Christopher Galiyas of Pittsburgh.
Table in Washington
This is Scenery Hill artist Erin McChesney's "first large-scale public art piece" per
her website. It is title "Entangled." This work was in conjunction with the Dreamers
Company, a local "non-profit organization focused on making renaissance a reality in
Washington."
