Here are some more progress photos of other parts of the mural.

This older gentleman is Judge Richard Rice. In the 1850’s he and some other ingenious folks built the first steam powered car in Maine–built right here in Hallowell. Here I show Judge Rice on his triumphant trip across town on the first car.

Also, an update of one of the seamen in the mural and a mother and daughter tending the fields.

Martha Ballard was a midwife and caregiver for most of the residents of Hallowell in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She delivered close to 1000 babies, in a region with a population of only several thousand. She was supremely important to the origins of our town.

She kept a diary of her doctoring. She became well known today when her diary was discovered and published.

A study and progress pictures of Martha Ballard in the Hallowell Mural.

Spent the day refining some of the figures and roughing in a few more. This is Dr. Benjamin Vaughan, a notable patriot, a well read man with a library only rivaled by that of Harvard of the time. Here he is penning a letter to President Thomas Jefferson, one of the many important people with whom he corresponded for many decades.

Today, Thursday is another open studio afternoon, 2-4 so stop by to see the mural progress.

Hallowell was a major seaport back in the days of sail. Ships and seamen from Hallowell were known in the ports of the world.

The upper left of the mural is devoted to the seamen of the area. Here I am developing a man climbing the ratlines.

a Hallowell Mural pencil study from this morning for the figurehead I will be working on today.

Captain Drew was a well known sea captain from our bend in the river. As with many men from our town Captain Drew sailed to all ports of the world.

As well as a sea town, Hallowell was also a town of letters and learning. Captain Drew was a man of letters himself, penning articles of his many voyages for the newspaper under the moniker, the Kennebecker, from 1876 to 1889.

Captain Drew’s father was a local ship carver and he will be in the mural working on this figurehead.

Work is progressing well on the Hallowell Mural Project. Had several visitors on yesterday’s open mural studio Thursday. Here are some photos of progress. Some initial block-ins of figures. I am working on the top of the mural—adding in some key historical figures. You will see these scenes come into focus over the next days.

Martha Ballard, the midwife, well known for the journal she kept.

Dr. Benjamin Vaughan, here seen writing a letter to Thomas Jefferson with whom he corresponded for many years.

James Mathews, who escaped slavery in South Carolina, made his way north stowed away on a ship from Charleston to Boston and made his way to Hallowell with help along the underground railroad. He had a troubled life but his account of his years as an enslaved person became important in the national Abolitionist movement.

The upper left of the mural represents all the seamen, mostly men, young and old, who went to sea from the home shores of Hallowell.

And the women stayed home to tend the crops, raise the families and build the home communities.

Here are a few details of various parts of the Hallowell Mural. I’ve been working on the upper third of the 28 foot (vertical) mural. The upper left will deal with Hallowell’s maritime history—shipping, ship building.

And on the upper right I’ve been blocking in the 6 foot head of the statue for National Monument for the Forefathers that was carved right here in Hallowell. More info here: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Monument_to_the_Forefathers)

This is a color study of one of the figures who might go in the mural, but more importantly, he is my paint and canvas test to see how the materials will hold up on the wall.

The method I am using for this mural was developed by the Philadelphia Mural Arts program, for their, literally, thousands of exterior murals.

It is called the Polytap Method, or sometimes the parachute cloth method,. It uses a super tough non-woven fabric called Polytab. And when you paint on it with exterior rated acrylic paints is creates an indestructible surface.

I painted this sample to test it anyway, because it is always good to run your own tests of materials you use.

This sample has been out in sun, rain and subjected to freezing temps. And I have been abusing the canvas too–wrenching it around to make sure the paint holds up.

Looks just wonderful. This mural will be up for decades without even a blemish.

This year and a half since I started working on the big Hallowell Mural Project, I have learned much about our town on the river, many fascinating bits and pieces of our history, parts of the various stories that have made our community. I have drawn dozens upon dozens of scenes and people, ships, granite carvers, mill workers, and still drawing. Bigs scenes and little.

I’ve been off the public mural radar for several weeks. Had to finish a few jobs—to keep the bills paid—and a couple of personal things knocked me back bit.

And in the meantime, on my sketch pad I have been weaving all the disparate bits of Hallowell together. We didn’t just show up here in this 21st century on the river. Our town is the result of these centuries of journey, step by step by step to get us here as a kind, talented and welcoming community.

This is the story I am building into the mural—what got us here. I am a bit behind where I had hoped but it is only in the interest of having this be the best possible mural I can create.

I am starting this mural daily blog on my website to keep you all apprised of progress. The next 2 months will be the fascinating time as the 800 square feet of wall come together. Cheers.