Work-in-Progress: Dot Bunn’s Historical Mural at Strawberry Mansion

BCIS had the good fortune to have studio oil painter Dot Bunn drop in on our monthly meeting this week, and she shared some details of a fascinating project she has begun in Philadelphia.  Dot was chosen by The Committee of 1926, an organization that maintains the historic Strawberry Mansion in Fairmount Park, to turn a room in the mansion into a panorama of 19th century Philadelphia history.  From Dot:

Strawberry Mansion is completing a four year renovation project by commissioning a mural for the walls of the banquet room in the Judge Joseph Hemphill wing of the house.  I invited PAFA’s Patrick Connors to join me in working on the mural for a few months, with the work expected to be unveiled sometime in the Fall.

The pre-mural banquet room, with prepared linen affixed to the walls

Dot sought out Vasari Classic Artists’ Oil Colors to use for this mural because of their high quality.  The company is dedicated to creating the most responsive and pure oil colors for painters, and their product is made in America.  Vasari makes their oils in small batches from select pigments, and even fills their tubes by hand. (Retail store at 547 West 27th Street, Suite 628,New York,  NY 10001)

Dot (holding palette) with members of the Philadelphia Parks Commission

With drawings now on the walls, the project is ready for color:

Scaffolding in place, as well as a few pieces of the room’s furniture.

Dot visited the storage facility where much of the furniture has been stored during the renovation, so the patterns and colors of fabrics and woods could be considered in the color palette for the mural. The mural will depict several of the other historic mansions in Fairmount Park as well as the Philadelphia seaport, since Judge Hemphill operated a pottery business that may have relied on the importing and exporting capabilities of the port of Philadelphia.

We will report on Dot’s work on the mural in the weeks to come, so please follow this blog if you want to watch the progress.

–Pat Achilles