Community members can pick up a paintbrush and contribute to the “Heart of Olean Mural” during the city’s StrOlean event on Friday.
SUNY Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus is hosting the mural community paint day from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in front of campus at 260 N. Union St. All are invited to participate.
“We have a paint by numbers system that allows people of all ages and art skill levels to leave a mark on this project,” says Meg Saligman, the world-renowned artist leading the project. “Wonderful contributions have already been made at two community events we’ve held in conjunction with the Olean Family YMCA.”
Work began on May 18 on the large-scale mural that will cover each of the four exterior walls of JCC’s Library & Liberal Arts Center. Painting will continue throughout the summer, as Saligman plans to dedicate the completed installation during the Oct. 7 StrOlean.
Saligman’s community-driven design pays unique homage to the Olean area and JCC. The Olean native was inspired to pursue the project by her late father, Olean attorney Don Fish.
The Heart of Olean Mural is the latest in a long line of notable building installations Saligman has produced in the United States and internationally. Her landmark “Common Threads” mural in Philadelphia served as the backdrop for a scene from the popular television series “This Is Us” in 2019.
Her murals on buildings in Shreveport, Louisiana; Omaha, Nebraska; and Chattanooga, Tennessee, are amongst the 10 largest murals in the U.S. Saligman has also used her artistic talents to transform a theater in Mexico City, a water tower in Tanzania, and a village gathering site in Ecuador.
To learn more about Saligman’s Olean mural project, titled “Vantage Point: Our Valley of Sun,” visit www.sunyjcc.edu.
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