The Vision Carthage committee is raising money to install a mural honoring a number of people who grew up in Carthage and went on to become well known or achieve great things.
The mural, designed by Carthage Artist Andy Thomas, will be printed on ceramic tiles and installed on the east side of the McBride’s Antiques building facing the County’s parking lot at the corner of Fourth and Grant and will be 28 feet tall by 44 feet wide.
Abi Almandinger, executive director of Vision Carthage, announced at an unveiling for the mural on Sunday that the group will start raising the $100,000 it needs to pay for the mural during Give Carthage Day on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
“You can go to givecarthage.org, scroll to the bottom of the page to locate Vision Carthage to make a donation,” Almandinger said. “And then after Sept. 1, we will be taking donations, writing grants. If you’ll help us spread the word to be able to collect enough money to be able to see this through. We hope to be able to start the project in the springtime or possibly the summer of 2021.”
Wall of inspiration
Almandinger said the mural will honor some of Carthage’s most famous and accomplished sons and daughters, and some of the community’s most talented artists.
Almandinger said the people who were selected for the mural are Carl Hubbell, the baseball player; Marlin Perkins, the zoologist and television show host from the 1970s; Annie Baxter, the first woman elected to office in Missouri when she was elected Jasper County Clerk in the 1890s; David Newell, the actor appearing in 110 films over a 30-year period; Janet Kavandi, astronaut; James Scott, ragtime musician; Felix Wright, football player and Kent D. and Mary L. Steadley, who’s financial contributions to Carthage have been enormous. And then the several artists that have contributed art to the community over the years, including Thomas, Lowell Davis, Sam Butcher, Bill Snow, Andy Thomas, Jerry Ellis and Bob Tommey.
Thomas said he was excited to be able to honor these Carthage natives, some of whom are his friends.
He said these people should serve as inspirations.
“The point is, Felix played sports as a kid because he enjoyed it, and it led to a whole career for him even after he left the NFL,” Thomas said. “Janet had a fertile mind and was curious about things. James Scott loved music and he was a great musician. Marlin Perkins told stories about exploring creeks around here. The things that fascinate you as a kid, if you’re lucky, you get to do them as an adult.”
Vision on tile
Paul Whitehill, of Whitehill Enterprises, Joplin, said the mural will be scanned into a computer, then transferred digitally to ceramic tiles, which will then be installed on the side of McBride’s Antiques.
Whitehill said this method of making murals lasts much longer than painting on a wall.
“The digital file will be sent to our porcelain plant in Spain where they are printed with ceramic toners and fired in a kiln,” Whitehill said. “During this process in the kiln, the image actually becomes the glaze on the tile. There are three main reasons why Vision Carthage selected the tile process. A hand-painted mural has a limited lifetime. These tiles are UV stable and will never fade in the sun. We will be replicating Andy’s original artwork as if he painted it on the wall himself, and this mural will be here for generations to enjoy.”
The mural will be going on the side of a building that has already seen several lifetimes of Carthage history.
McBride’s Antiques sits in a building that was built in the 1870s and served as the Burlingame and Chaffee Opera House for the first few decades of its existence.
Keith McBride, owner of the building, said he was happy to allow Vision Carthage install the mural on his building.
“I’m super excited and as people come through with the parades, like for Maple Leaf, it’ll be right there for everyone to see,” McBride said. “It’s a good draw for Carthage.”
Give Carthage Day
The Fifth Annual Give Carthage Day will give people a chance to donate to 14 Carthage not-for-profit groups and help them earn prizes and matching money.
It’s an online donation event that lasts from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
People can give online at givecarthage.org or they can bring donations to the Give Carthage Headquarters at Cherry’s Art Emporium on the Square.
Other agencies participating in Give Carthage Day are artCentral, Bright Futures Carthage, Carthage Area United Way, Carthage Council on the Arts, Carthage Crisis Center, Carthage Family Literacy Center, Carthage Historic Preservation, Fair Acres Family YMCA, Kellogg Lake Nature Preserve, Powers Museum, RISE Coalition and Stone’s Throw Dinner Theatre.
“This year, Give Carthage Day is more important than ever as operations of nonprofits have been greatly affected by COVID-19 and many have had to cancel fundraising events due to the pandemic,” said Jeff Williams, Carthage Community Foundation Board President. “CCF is pleased to provide our nonprofit agency partners with this platform to raise critical funds for the important work they do in our community.”
Give Carthage Day sponsors include Carthage Community Foundation, Col. 3:17 Fund, Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO), Edward Jones Investments — Darren Collier, Kristi Montague & Joe Ryder, Leggett & Platt, Inc., Marsh Family Foundation, Revel Boutique, Schmidt CPAs & Advisors, SMB Bank & Danny Lambeth and the Fabulous 1490 KDMO.
On September 1, donate at givecarthage.org to support one or more of the 14 participating nonprofits, and follow along with the Give Carthage Day progress on the Carthage Community Foundation Facebook page.
