Public Art in Hastings, NE

As we begin the design process here in Hastings, one of our first research adventures was to go on a tour of existing public art in and around downtown. Here are a few of our finds.

"A Narrow Escape" by David L. Biehl at the Hastings Museum.

"Hau Kola" by Herb Mignery at the Hastings Museum

"Andy" by The Caped Crusaders

"Peacekeeper" by George Lundeen.

Mural about German immigrants who came to the U.S. via Russia.

Mural by high school students in 1987 at the downtown post office.

Murals at Alcott Elementary School.

Historical mural in the Adams County Courthouse by Gib Neal.

Murals by Giuseppe Aprea inside the Kensington (formerly Clarke Hotel).

Sandhill Crane exhibit with mural background at the Hastings Museum.

Diorama about early European settlers at the Hastings Museum.

Amber with mural at the entrance to the Kool-Aid exhibit.

Fisher 'Rainbow' Fountain built in 1932.

The Hastings, Nebraska Mural Team

While in Hastings, I'm joined by a fantastic mural team.  

Mural Assistant  - Amber Hansen

Amber is a veteran of the Mural Project having been lead assistant in Tonkawa, OK, (2010) and Joplin, MO, (2011). She is also, along with her partner Nicholas Ward, in the final stages of editing the documentary film "Called to Walls" which tells the story Mid-America Mural Project. Amber holds a MFA in drawing and painting from the University of Kansas and a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of South Dakota. From 2010 - 2012, she held the position of artist in residence at the University of Kansas. Amber is actively exhibiting in the mediums of film, drawing, musical performance, and has been the lead artist in many public murals located throughout the Midwest.

Mural Apprentice - Rebecca Harrison 

Rebecca is an Omaha muralist who has been working with A Midsummer's Mural for seven years. With this team of artists, she has worked on around one hundred projects in Omaha, ranging from residential murals to 250ft long public murals. She attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she was president of the Organization for the Advancement of the Arts and graduated with a BA in Art History in 2013. She has been active in the Omaha arts community from a young age, including being a JAMbassador at the Joslyn Art Museum and interning at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. 

Project Coordinator - Kaleena Fong

Kaleena is the Executive Director of the Adams County Convention and Visitors Bureau and President of the Hastings Community Arts Council.

Nebraska mural site chosen!

The final site for the first round of the Mid-America Mural Project has been chosen...
Hastings, Nebraska is the city and the photo below shows where the mural will be painted - the east wall of Depot Plaza at 408 North Minnesota, facing Eastside Boulevard and adjacent to Pioneer Spirit Trail. An excellent location.

We are also very excited to announce that Rebecca Harrison of Omaha has been chosen as the apprentice for the Hastings project. More on Rebecca's impressive credentials soon. The Hastings project will begin on August 13th and conclude sometime in mid-October. Check back here for updates.