Paintings stretch all along State Street for Heritage Days

By Anne Eickstadt

ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO Belvidere Daily Republican
Anat Ronen puts the finishing touches on the Frank Lloyd Wright Pettit Chapel mural.

Editor

“Paint on State gets bigger every year,” said Lauren Hart, event coordinator. “We had 224 squares for people to paint during our first year. We had 500 the second year and 750 last year. This year we asked for 1000 squares and the city painted even more. We will sell them until we are out.

“Anat Ronen was here for four days last year when she came to work with the Walldogs. She painted the Jeanne Gang mural. She was fascinated by our Paint on State event and painted a portrait of Van Gogh on State St. while she was here.

“I am thrilled to be part of Paint on State. The City supports it and supplies the water for the event. They make it happen for the community. Students and adults from all around the community helped fill bags for Paint on State. Each bag contains cups for red, yellow, blue, black, and white tempura paints, a water cup, stirring stick tray, paper towel, and brush.

“Each square costs $5 and you get a bag of supplies when you sign up or sign in, and the squares are painted in blocks of four. A large square would cost $20.”

Anat Ronen returned this year to add to Belvidere’s mural collection by painting the new Frank Lloyd Wright Pettit Chapel mural displayed under the Jeanne Gang mural on the corner of Pleasant and State Streets.

The rains on Thursday and Friday caused her to resort to painting in a warehouse supplied by Jay Robert Allen, owner of Shawcraft

ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTOS Belvidere Daily Republican
Keira Kamis, age 6, of Belvidere enjoys the 3-D frog floatie in front of the fire station.

Sign Co., muralist, author, and public speaker. She began the mural of the Pettit Chapel and Frank Lloyd Wright on panels indoors. On Saturday morning, the panels were moved to their permanent home so Anat could complete the work on site.

With two days left to complete the mural, Anat took some time to join community members at Paint on State with her own unique vision. “Thank you for having me back, “ she said. “I am so excited to be back. I wanted to…

For complete article, pick up the July 4 BDR.