Brush Strokes of Life: Mural Mania Garners National Attention
Louise Hoffman Broach | Wayuga Staff Writer
Thursday, May 27 2010
LYONS - In early 2007, when Mark DeCracker and Noel Dobbins thought of having a mural painted to honor the memory of Dobbins' late father, Winston, they had no idea it would spark a phenomenon that would garner the region national attention. But that's just what's happened recently. The Historical Murals of Lyons, part of the Mural Mania project that spread miles in each direction from Winston Dobbins Park, received an honorable mention for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Heritage Award May 19. The same week, a film crew from Ovation Channel Television came from Los Angeles to meet with DeCracker and some of Mural Mania's artists for a piece on the murals for the show "The Scenic Route." Ovation, the only US television network dedicated to art and contemporary culture, began premiering the brand new original series "The Scenic Route" April 11. The series is part of the channel's "Passport Ovation" programming event, featuring documentary series that take viewers to some of the most intriguing cultural destinations in the U.S. and abroad. DeCracker is pleased beyond words that what he and Dobbins thought of has taken on such a life of its own, mostly through volunteer efforts and at very little public expense. He said the producer of the show, Erin Germain, found Mural Mania through the project's website. What appealed most was the community aspect, that it wasn't a single artist, but many, involved. Although the show concentrated on Lyons, it also noted that viewers would want to see the rest of the murals in neighboring communities. "Twenty-four? Twenty-five?" DeCracker said when asked how many there were. "I don't even know anymore. I am very happy. It has been a lot of fun. It was great fun when the crew was here, too." "The Scenic Route," features the initial four of six, 30-minute episodes, hosted by David Keeps. Inviting viewers to flip on the cruise control and take a breezy drive down historic highways and hidden country roads, Keeps delves into California's nooks and crannies to find the oft-overlooked wonders that lie far away from the busy freeways. DeCracker and artists James Zeger and Dawn Jordan met with "The Scenic Route's" host David Keeps. He also got treated a tour of the Hotchkiss Building conducted by "Peppermint" Patti Alena of Lyons. Keeps is a Los Angeles Times travel and design writer who is no stranger to Ovation, said Kris Slava, SVP Programming, Ovation. "David hosted one of our first original series, "Art & the City," so we are very pleased to have him back and on the road to uncover some of those real treasures you can only find when you head off the beaten track." The show on the murals will air nationally later this summer. The recognition from the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission is further validation of the project. The Heritage Award honors significant places of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and recognizes excellence in advancing the goals of the Erie Canalway Preservation and Management Plan. A five-person independent jury selected award recipients based on a written application and site visit, which included meetings with officials at each site, as well as community leaders, municipal representatives, and other stakeholders. DeCracker said the committee liked that historical scenes depicting life on the Erie Canal can be found on buildings from Syracuse to Palmyra, thanks to the grassroots mural project He believes that Noel Dobbins, who died in the fall of 2007, must be looking down on the project from heaven because of all of the good that has come about because of it. He said minutes from when the most recent mural was rededicated in Lyons last month, he got the call from Ovation, and few weeks after that, he learned that Mural Mania had been recognized by the National Heritage Corridor. "The jury selected the project not only for its dedication to sharing history through public art, but for its contribution to community revitalization in Lyons," according to Jean Mackay, director of Communications and Outreach for the Canalway Heritage group. "The murals have engaged new audiences, including at-risk youth, students, community organizations, and residents," she said. "Further, the murals are spurring visitors to take a closer look not only at the artwork, but at the restaurants, shops, and cultural heritage sites in Lyons and throughout the central and western part of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor."
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