Mural committee reviews entries
Neil Armstrong Airport’s mural committee is reviewing submissions that will occupy a roughly 51-feet wide by 13feet high space on a lounge area wall in the new terminal building. The Auglaize County commissioners reviewed the five submissions the committee has received at their staff meeting Tuesday.
The first design featured pictures of locations and planes significant to Armstrong’s life as well as historical dates. The design also featured brightly colored clouds and stars overlapping those pictures. The second submission featured a red, white and blue timeline with pictures of Armstrong and significant dates against a dark red and dark blue background. The third submission was a black and white submission with pictures of Armstrong paneled in a two-level timeline. It also incorporates an aerial view of the airport. Another color version of that timeline with a red, white and blue theme was also submitted. The fourth submission was a painting featuring a plane Armstrong began his career with at Port Koneta, with other aircraft he has flown
spliced in. The fifth submission featured pictures of Armstrong, a Boy Scout medal and various aircraft that would overlap with the Ohio and American flags in an oil painting.
While commissioners dismissed a timeline design interwoven with stars and clouds, they were keen on learning more about other designs. Many of the designs use Neil Armstrong’s image, which will have to be licensed for use.
Commissioner John Bergman and County Administrator Erica Preston were both in favor of the black and white timeline.
Commissioner Doug Spencer liked the aerial view of the airport displayed in the background but also liked the concept of a mural that appears to show Port Koneta in the background with other designs of aircraft like the Lear Jet and the lunar launch spliced in between.
Mural committee members were reportedly leaning away from that design.
Airport Manager Ted Bergstrom said after initial discussion, committee members were in favor of the timeline design, either in black in white or in color, as well as a design with overlapping different pictures from Neil Armstrong’s life; they also favored less writing. Bergstrom thought it was a more artistic approach.
Committee member Rachel Barber declined to comment on committee discussions.
Other committee members include Preston, Bergstrom and Authority Board Secretary Brad Smith.
Additional follow up is anticipated with some artists. Quotes ranged from $13,900 to $24,900 and came from across the state.
The project will be funded by the money donated to the New Bremen Community Foundation for use in the new Terminal Building.
Commissioners are still deciding whether to have the work done on a canvas or on the actual wall.