This month, the corner of 8th and Market Streets in Downtown Parkersburg came to life with the installation of a vibrant new mural. Designed by Greta McLain of GoodSpace Murals in collaboration with the Parkersburg community, the colorful collage includes images of local landmarks and people inspired by local residents. Reflecting the mural across the intersection on the side of the Parkersburg Art Center, this extension graces the side of the Actors Guild of Parkersburg, artfully flanking the entrance on Market.

The 1,200-square-foot mural was designed to be a companion to the first mural, which was designed and installed by GoodSpace Murals back in 2021. Like its other half, the mural was a collaborative effort that involved over 100 members of the community in its creation.

Both murals were created using poly-tab, the same method used by Nichole Westfall to create the Point Park mural installed earlier this year. Community members were invited to help paint the base coat on the panels during community painting events. Approximately 120 people attended the painting party on September 14 as part of the Parkersburg Piccalilli reception, with another 60 people joining in the fun on the following Saturday. Artists then apply additional coats of paint when the material is installed on the wall, giving it a dimensional, layered look that also helps hide any seams.

“One of the goals of the Arts Collaborative of the Mid-Ohio Valley is to bring attention to the wonderful assets we have here in the MOV,” said Senta Goudy, dean of the Center for Civic Engagement at West Virginia University at Parkersburg. “At the intersection of 8th and Market Streets we have the Parkersburg Art Center, the Actors Guild of Parkersburg, and the Artbeat Studios of the Wood County Society. Within a few blocks, we have Artsbridge, Discovery World, and the Smoot Theatre. And, just a few blocks further are the Julianna Historic District and two museums - the Oil and Gas Museum and the Blennerhassett Museum. The murals, flowing across the street onto two iconic buildings, highlight what happens inside of them and in our community. They create a focal point and illustrate the arts and culture of our place.”

Designed in the same style as its companion, the new mural highlights the community's theatrical history with images of downtown's theaters including the Lincoln and the Camden and drama-related imagery.

“When funds were secured for the second mural, we used the information gathered from the multiple listening sessions that Greta held in 2021 to help inform the design. We also wanted the two to work together so some themes, colors, and design elements carried over,” said Jessie Siefert, Managing Director and Education Director for the Parkersburg Art Center. “A committee from the Actor's Guild along with me and Senta then weighed in on specific images reflecting dance, theater, and local theater history.”

“Together they tell a story of a long-standing, creative community that is vibrant, connected to the past yet hopeful about a bright and diverse future.”

— Jessie Siefert

In many respects, Siefert said the Guild mural focuses more on the past and the PAC mural is looking towards our future with some of the history woven into the fabric of what the young people are wearing (literally...if you look at the images, that is the case.)

“Together they tell a story of a long-standing, creative community that is vibrant, connected to the past yet hopeful about a bright and diverse future,” said Siefert.

“We used a community engagement process to gather ideas, including what is important to the people who live here, what they love and what they want for the future,” said Goudy. “We hosted listening sessions with children and teens, with the local church, at a Mexican restaurant with owners and staff, and in a large public event at Bicentennial Park.”

Gathering the hopes and dreams of more than 500 people was a fascinating process, she said. “The process, along with the painting parties and such a large mural, has been a catalyst for greater interest in the arts, more support for the arts organizations and their events, more large scale public art, and a strengthening of our community.”

They work to demonstrate the diversity of our community - age, gender, ethnicity, and creative talent. And that too is a catalyst for community strengthening and positive change, said Goudy.

The paint-by-number technique used by GoodSpace Murals hits a sweet spot in that the process encourages some level of coordination between participants, and can be somewhat of a challenge to complete, but also allows for those not interested in socializing to participate – and participants can’t mess it up, they can only help the process, which turns out to be really fun. And believe us, it IS a lot of fun.

Since 2021, Greta’s relationship with the Parkersburg community has deepened. “When Greta Mclain came for a few days early in 2021 to do listening sessions as a way to get a feel for our community, its values, hopes, and dreams, we were impressed by the whole process,” said Siefert. “She met with nearly 300 people in four days.”

She then took that community input, photos, drawings, words, and themes and sent a design plan that was worked and reworked. “Her patience and understanding again impressed us. Once the design was approved the Goodspace team came into town for the three-week installation process,” said Siefert. “They then engaged the community in painting parties and created a celebratory atmosphere throughout that whole process.”

When the Guild wall was repaired and funds secured for the mural extension, Sierfert said they not only wanted Goodspace to do the work for the sake of visual continuity but they also just wanted to bring that process and energy back to our community.

“We now have many of their tips, tricks, and techniques in our back pocket yet, I feel that those really belong to Goodspace and Greta Mclain in particular.,” she said. “Though we will definitely use what we have learned, if there is to be another project of this scale again, I would hope that Goodspace would be back to do the job. We have created more than a business relationship with Greta, Kendra, Nichole, Tess, and Gabby. The women in both crews are now friends.”

Click through the gallery below for more photos of the process and finished mural, taken by Michelle Waters!