Drawings have begun on this monstrous project. The first section to be illustrated is about 150′ wide and 16′ tall. While the scope initially is overwhelming, the more time I spend there helps me get comfortable with it all. All walls are built, covered and primed. Windows and doors will be installed next week. The entire area will be cleaned and sprayed. There will be nothing but my paint and I as the workmen will move on to other areas of the building! My first design for the “City Hall” will be transferred to the wall. All of the following designs will be decided upon as the project develops.
The theme of the entire space will be 1930′s small town including the City Hall and courses of row houses and brown stones. The style will be done in Trompe L’oeil (fool the eye). The walls are flat but when finished will be seen as real buildings with detail. There will be cars, people, pets and landscaping that looks real but really doesn’t exist. This will be very fun for the residents and their guests. Design of the city hall is a merge of the Kirkwood city hall meets the “Back to the Future” city hall. There will be brick, columns, carving and a clock on top. stay tuned for more progress photos!
I established Ray Harvey Art in 1986 and in that time I have created over 200 murals, fine art commissions and decorative finishes. These projects have included the installation of paintings in hotels, restaurants, offices, churches and residences. This December I will begin the largest commission of my career in terms of size and scope.
I have entered into an agreement with JP Quick Development which will challenge my artistic talents for at least twelve months. The down economy and foreclosures have been a positive for a few developers and this is the situation here. Picture a defunct Holiday Inn Holi-dome motel. Now take that structure and completely strip it out. Keep the bones but rebuild the entire structure with 750 square foot bungalows surrounding the enclosed atrium. Include a pool, spa and cafe in the controlled-climate naturally lit common space. While you’re at it, why not build a theater, chapel, health club, pharmacy, dime-store and saloon? This is the vision of the development company taking on this project.
I will be the one artist called upon to transform the 16′ tall and 500′ long atrium wall into a neighborhood setting with the use of paint. The mural will depict a 1920 row-house neighborhood complete with brown stone home fronts, city hall, trees and virtual neighbors. This is my largest “one piece” painting in the last twenty-six years. This part of the puzzle is expected to take over four months to complete. At its completion I will then move into the front area of the building and begin several smaller, yet large, murals in the chapel, theater and other venues. All together the work will last twelve months. At that time seniors will have an all-inclusive living facility they can call home. An estimate of occupation is not known at this time.
This week Ray Harvey Art received a new mural commission from Solutions For Healthcare, a designer of healthcare facilities located in Osage Beach, MO. The art will eventually installed in the dining area of an existing facility in Clinton, KY. The scene which will depict a vintage diner including celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and of course Elvis. Fun scenes as this can brighten the day of a resident and bring pride to the home. Ray Harvey will complete the painting in his studio and travel to Kentucky when finished for the installation. Harvey was asked how he felt having his art displayed in healthcare facilities as this. “First of all,” he said, ” these centers are not like the nursing homes of old. Due to the demand of care for older citizens these days there is much competition. Any way we can bring a smile to a resident and family members is well worth it. I suppose having my art hang here instead of a public museum or high browed residence isn’t quite as romantic as it could be. But image isn’t what I paint for. Watching the eyes of the viewer is where it counts. So why shouldn’t the residents of these centers get to appreciate original art. Do you somehow outgrow the eye for beauty?” To date Mr. Harvey’s largest healthcare mural actually is displayed in Mobile, AL where he created four 250′ long scenes. This new painting in Kentucky will be pretty small to Harvey’s standards but just as detailed including the characters, a jukebox, vintage signage and a window scene depicting downtown Clinton.
The painting should be in the design stage next week and is expected to be completed towards the end of November.
Viva Cuba is the beautification group responsible for the town’s mural project that has made the city known the length of Route 66. They originally wanted to develop a heritage mural project to depict notable happenings in history around the town. What has developed could never have been anticipated. There are twelve sponsored murals with many more private commissions. The city has the distinction of being named officially Mural City USA!
Now the group has commissioned Ray Harvey to bring the whole scene to life during the Christmas season. The original painting created by Ray Harvey is in the possession and displayed at Peoples Bank in Cuba. The image was also used to produce a set of open edition prints to be available to the public. This poster was presented for the first public viewing at the CubaFest celebration this past weekend. The artist was available for discussion and to sign copies of the poster. The initial sales are brisk for this art and are being sold throughout the holiday season. Details and more of the story can be viewed at this link: http://cubamomurals.com/wordpress/2012/10/cuba-the-small-town-with-big-ideas-features-its-own-christmas-print/
J Buck’s Restaurant has been a hot spot in Clayton for many years. Now it’s better than ever. The venue has gone through a major decorating renovation with an updated menu. The new menu will include a selection of house-smoked meats with an emphasis of more casual dining. The dining room has gone through an impressive face-lift. Metallic finishes, mid-century lighting and modern textures add to the contemporary atmosphere.
In the bar and meeting area hangs an original painted mural by Ray Harvey. He was commissioned by owner Doug Albrecht to create a panoramic painting depicting celebrity and sports figures from St. Louis. There are eighteen portraits spanning the width of fifty feet. Included are John Goodman, Tina Turner, Joe and Jack Buck, Nelly, Ozzie Smith and Andy Cohen among other notables.This artwork is the fourth at a Joe Bucks establishment this year.
It is official, Ray Harvey Art has received its’ latest commission for another mural for the Joe Buck’s organization. It was February when work began on the first three paintings for Joe Buck’s Restaurant downtown location. Now the Clayton venue of J Buck’s is getting a facelift and will include more Ray Harvey original art!
This painting will measure fifty-five feet long and will include around twenty portraits of sports stars and local celebrities. Some of the selected celebrities include Jon Hamm, Nelly, John Goodman, Scott Joplin, Chuck Berry and Tina Turner. The original art will circle the wall in the bar area. In addition, some large scale prints of the original three murals will be reproduced for other areas in the restaurant. The renovations are expected to be completed by the first week of September.
The first planning meeting for the painting “T’was the Night Before Christmas Over Route 66/Cuba” took place this morning. While many details are yet to be determined the patrons and Ray Harvey met to discuss the basic plan for the art. The painting, while owned by the patrons, will be loaned to the Viva Cuba committee for reproduction. The original art and subsequent product will be on display at CubaFest this October. The art will depict a snowy Christmas Eve on Route 66 in Cuba, Mo along with Santa, sleigh and reindeer. Many of the murals and popular notable Cuba locations will also be included. Stay tuned for more updates as the project progresses.
The art shown here is the painting ” T’was the Night Before Christmas Over Washington” painted in 2007.
Father James Finder has commissioned Ray Harvey to add to the work already completed in the sanctuary. A few years ago Mr. Harvey was called upon to put a creative touch with murals, decorative finishes and gilding to St. Michaels, St. Francis and Holy Cross Church in Cuba, MO. Now, Father James is calling him back to Holy Cross to continue the beautification. Three paintings and gilding were put in place in 2006. Ray Harvey will be adding even more gilding in the stations of the cross areas and a detailed carved motif on the side alters. Towards the rear of the church two 4′ x 5′ illustrations of chosen saints will be painted and aded to the walls. Completion is expected before easter Sunday on April 8th.
One would think an artist that specializes in public murals would spend a lot of time in February waiting for the scenery to change outside of the window. Not so for me. Not all of my work is outside and not all of my work is illustration. For example, last night I traveled to St. Charles, MO to add one more restaurant venue to my developing photo series titled “Behind the Swinging Doors.” This series captures the command center of any restaurant, the kitchen. I take a vintage 1940′s panoramic camera and get in close with the staff, the food and the fire. The black & white panoramic images present the life a customer never sees in his favorite restaurant. I am choosing popular restaurants by region in and around St. Louis. Last night was “Grappa Grill”, my St. Charles representative. Look forward to the free photo samples this week!
Tomorrow I finish the second project in Washington, MO in the last twelve months. The new Victorian Manor Memory Center will be completed for me. I have left them with over a dozen artfully conceived backdrop murals for the residents. The entire facility will be finished by the end of February. This project marks the sixth healthcare facility with the Quick Development Company.
This week will also usher in the long awaited painting of three large sports murals for Joe Buck’s restaurant in downtown St. Louis. The designs have been approved and preliminary work has started but, this week the paintings are the top of the list for creation. All three will be completed by March when the images will then go to print and to the wall. There will be posters available at an anticipated unveiling party to be announced in March. All will be in place before the opening pitch of the 2012 Baseball season.
In addition, there has been agreement with my Viva Cuba mural friends in Cuba, MO for a new easel-size painting to be created. This painting will depict “The Night Before Christmas on Route 66″ in Cuba, MO. The painting will become the property of a local patron to be announced. The image will be used in the continual marketing of the famous Route 66 town in posters and other items. This art will be officially promoted during CubaFest 2012 this October. Design discussions will begin soon however.
Along with these projects, there is talk of an additional Route 66 mural in another popular Mother Road destination, a mural at a new landscape nursery and possibly some spiritual additions to one of my previously painted venues. This is all I can say now but look forward to all of these projects becoming a reality this year. Follow along on my Twitter feed at RayHarveyArt!
