Wilson College Mural Project Gets Underway

As part of its ongoing Sesquicentennial celebration, Wilson College has commissioned Chambersburg artist Peter Mazzone to paint a mural on both sides of a concrete wall outside of Sarah's Coffeehouse at the rear of Lenfest Commons. Mazzone is seeking volunteers to help with the project, which is expected to get underway in earnest the week of June 24.

It may be adjusted but as of now, the schedule calls for interested volunteers age 18 and older to work in shifts Fridays through Sundays from now through September. Volunteers are needed to do everything from painting the mural, based on a design sketched onto the wall by Mazzone, to acting as painter's helpers, doing things like cleaning brushes.

Those who want to volunteer can register at here or contact Courtney Gotham, associate director of marketing and communications, at courtney.gotham@wilson.edu.

The mural will be a nature scene inspired by the Conococheague Creek and will continue from one side of the 30-foot-long wall to the other so that both sides will be painted.

After the success of the Stickworks sculpture installation by artist Patrick Doughtery in 2015, which many volunteers from the community helped to create, Wilson was looking for another art project that would serve the dual purpose of celebrating the college's 150th birthday and involving people from the broader community, according to Wilson Vice President for Institutional Advancement Camilla Rawleigh, who co-chairs the college's Sesquicentennial Committee.

Wilson found Mazzone, who has exhibited at the college, was interested in a mural project. "We are privileged to have him share his work with us at Wilson College," Rawleigh said of Mazzone, who does not actively pursue exhibition venues, but whose work is held in many private collections throughout North America. Mazzone, who has lived in a number of regions in the United States and spent much of his time in Elsah, Ill., has a bachelor's degree in studio art and art history from Principia College, a small liberal arts college similar to Wilson.

In addition to the mural, the area around it on the lower level of Lenfest Commons will get a facelift, including painting and refurbished outdoor furniture. "The idea is to make this a more inviting space where students will want to congregate outside when the weather is nice," said Rawleigh.

Priming of the wall got started June 21 week and the mural is expected to begin the last week of June.