WE'VE GOT OUR WALL! After two years of crowdfunding efforts, changes in locations and more, the More Than A Mural Project in Eau Claire has found its new home: the Boyd Park Pavilion (1202 Fairway St., Eau Claire) in the Eastside Hill neighborhood.

After months of organizing, pivots in location and fundraising uncertainties, the More Than A Mural Project – driven by Eau Claire resident Gabe Brummett – has found its footing and a prospective location in the Eastside Hill neighborhood, right in Brummett's own backyard.

Boyd Park (1202 Fairway St., Eau Claire) has been named the prospective location of the collaborative mural project, illustrated and painted by Lawrence, Kan.-based artist Dave Lowenstein. 

In addition to the dozens of murals Lowenstein has created for the state he calls home, Lowenstein said he feels the most fulfillment from his community-based mural projects – many of which he has introduced to cities across the country, internationally and now to Eau Claire.

These projects, he noted, allow for a more immersive public art experience and invite locals to take part in the visual storytelling and create the mural alongside him.

“Painting together is the icing on the cake; it’s the moment when the larger community is introduced to our work,” Lowenstein said. “It also extends the conversation about the mural design, its meanings and the identity of the community in a broader sense.”

At twilight, an ancient lake sturgeon – as large as a mosasaur – silently glides with the current while giving a ride to two companions, along with memories of home and tools they may need for their journey ahead.

MORE THAN A MURAL PROJECT'S DESIGN CONCEPT

Here in Eau Claire, the More Than A Mural Project aims to emulate these ideals and more, Brummett said. Brummett has spent the last two years crowdfunding for this collaborative concept and searching for its permanent location; he initially had made motions towards buildings in downtown Eau Claire such the ArtBoxx Suites (419 S Barstow St.) and Eau Claire Outdoors (225 N Barstow St.).

He pointed out that, unlike other mural timelines, the creation of this visual art represents a “backwards” approach to fundraising. The final design may not be revealed until closer to the installation day, because it is largely shaped by community input and the stories of the Chippewa Valley they wish to see represented.

“We have to explain the process that we’re using and the type of (mural) we are trying to create,” Brummett said. “We call it ‘More Than A Mural’ because yes, we are painting a mural on the wall, but at the same time we are trying to bring the community together on this idea so that we can talk about what it means to be from Eau Claire?”

The initial fundraising goal for the More Than A Mural Project was between $15,000 and $20,000, Brummett said. These funds were intended to cover artist fees – including travel expenses for Lowenstein – supplies, wall preparation and the funding of possible apprentices or assistants.

Now, as the project has its eyes set for Boyd Park, Chad Rowekamp, the Eastside Hill Neighborhood Association president, has created an additional online fundraiser to collect the remaining $5,000 needed for the project. In just a few short weeks – since the fundraiser launched on Nov. 22 – residents of the neighborhood collated over half of that goal.

At this point, the mural’s guiding concept alludes to a fable connected to Chippewa River; the river has been used as a motif for many visual artists across the Chippewa Valley and – most recently – through another mural installation in downtown Eau Claire, “The River Above Us.”

“At twilight, an ancient lake sturgeon – as large as a mosasaur – silently glides with the current while giving a ride to two companions, along with memories of home and tools they may need for their journey ahead,” Lowenstein shared to describe the mural's story. “Following along underwater are a school of fish that symbolize the Eau Claire community. Together they are on a quest, adventure, search or perhaps they are fleeing a troubled place.”

As crowdfunding efforts continue, Lowenstein, Brummett and Rowekamp intend to coordinate additional neighborhood meetings to revisit the mural’s design and center its story on those who engage with the park itself.

Rowekamp anticipates the mural installation will begin in late spring into early summer, following discussions with Eau Claire City Council and the Waterways and Parks Commission.

Despite unexpected roadblocks, More Than A Mural Project's core intentions remain: To gather as a community, create something that reflects Boyd Park’s shared identity and, as Lowenstein noted, foster new ideas and stronger unity city-wide.

“This has become a neighborhood project now,” Lowenstein said. “Now that (the mural is) in Boyd Park, it is the center of the project geographically but also thematically.”

Learn more about Eau Claire's More Than A Mural Project, view the Eastside Hill neighborhood's fundraising efforts and stay in-the-know for future community meetings through the project's Facebook page online (@The-More-Than-A-Mural-Project).