Effort seeks to unite Orangeburg through art

A prototype of artist Herman Keith Jr.’s design was revealed during an event Thursday, but Orangeburg City Councilperson Annette Dees Grevious asked attendees to not photograph it.

She stated the design will be revealed once the mural is finished and placed in the Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association’s park at the intersection of Middleton and Russell streets in time for next year’s Festival of Roses.

Grevious also noted, “When we take art out into the public, it has the ability to energize a community, to engage a community, to enrich a community, to uplift a community, to rehabilitate, to reinvigorate, to revitalize – but probably most importantly, to unite a community.”

The design was revealed at Thursday’s kickoff lunch for the Uniting Orangeburg Through Art initiative. It was held at the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center.

The mural features bright colors and showcases an array of roses vertically in its center.

Colorful, geometric-shaped vertical and horizontal bars are prominent on the right side of the mural.

Keith said the colors of the roses were matched to photographs he took of roses in Orangeburg.

“Those aren’t roses pulled off the internet. These are Orangeburg roses,” Keith said.

There will be an overlay of a general map of Orangeburg on the linear geometric portions of the mural.

The mural will be painted by the community.

The mural will consist of 65 5-foot-by-5-foot acrylic panels that Keith will underpaint before the community paints them.

He told the crowd that he’s already begun fabricating the panels and has completed 20 of them. He’s also finished underpainting 18 of those panels.

Businesses, individuals or organizations can sponsor each panel.

Those panels will then be painted by members of the community – from school children to older adults and anyone in between.

Keith said the panels may be taken to schools, churches and other places.

Once each panel is painted, the panel will be brought to an art studio in downtown Orangeburg for refinishing and to get a coat of protective varnish.

After all of the panels are painted, they will be erected on the wall with acrylic gel.

Keith explained that over time, the acrylic paint will develop “fingers” and “grows and it takes on the character of the building and the brick.”

Observers will not be able to tell the panels were acrylic, he said. “Over time, it becomes the building.”

The mural will span 1,630 square feet.

After the presentation, Orangeburg County Councilperson Latisha Walker said, “I think it’s magnificent. I’m excited.”

Walker noted that she is also an artist.

When the prototype of the mural was revealed, she said she was captivated by it.

“I felt a feeling deep down in my soul because I know what art has done for me and I know what it’s going to do for the community,” she said.

S.C. Arts Commission Public Art Coordinator Harvee L. White said, “I think this is a wonderful thing for the community. Public art has a way of giving people pride in their community. This is a great start for what seems to be – it’s going to grow and evolve and I’m very excited to see how that happens.”

Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center Director of Community Arts and Development Vivian Glover said, “There’s enthusiasm and I think now we really know this project is going to take place.”

The mural is a collaborative effort of the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center, the City of Orangeburg and the S.C. Rural Arts Project, founded by Keith.

For information about how to sponsor panels for the mural, visit: orangeburgarts.org