Put A Lid On It project

Another Article about the VanGogh Mural coming down

David Heatwole — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:34:28 +0000

http://www.herald-mail.com/news/local/hm-williamsport-community-meal-pa-christmas-pa-002,0,5732849.photo

photo from Herald Mail regarding take down of VanGogh Mural

David Heatwole — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:32:28 +0000

http://www.herald-mail.com/news/local/hm-williamsport-community-meal-pa-christmas-pa-002,0,5732849.photo

Article from Herald Mail about VanGogh mural coming down

David Heatwole — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:30:22 +0000

http://www.herald-mail.com/news/local/hm-williamsport-community-meal-pa-christmas-pa-001,0,5667312.photo

Short article discovered in Charleston Daily Mail

David Heatwole — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:28:02 +0000

DAVID Heatwole, an artist in Martinsburg, is doing his part to recycle. Two summers ago, Heatwole began a mural outside the Redbrick Gallery. Instead of paint, he used lids and bottle caps.

In no time, the town had a conversation piece — a depiction of a self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh. A split vote by the Martinsburg Historic Preservation Review Commission allowed the mural to stand.

But time and weather took the bright colors out of mural and Heatwole took his artwork down.

The lids, bottle caps and outdoor-grade particle board were headed for the landfill until Paul

Yandura, an art collector in Washington, D.C., said he wanted the piece. The recycled caps and lids will be recycled again.

Recycling works only if the recycled material is worth something. Heatwole may be on to something.

Thanks for your support

David Heatwole — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 02:07:17 +0000

I would like to thank so many individuals, groups and organizations who have seen the value of the “Put a lid on it” projects. The last mural that I oversaw the creation of was the VanGogh mural located on the side of Red Brick Gallery in Martinsburg, WV. That was created just over a year ago and I am pleased that people are still motivated to collect the lids for the purpose of upcycling and creating works of art to beautify our community.

I just wanted to put a thank you out there especially to Tomahawk Presbyterian Church in Berkeley County, WV for working together to save lids.

I will let everyone know when I start another one.

Currently Mussleman High School in Inwood West Virginia is collecting lids for two murals (Masterpiece Art Kits www.masterpieceartkits.com) that they are going to work on starting January 2011 for installation in the cafeteria.

Church made out of lids found at a local Methodist Church

David Heatwole — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:42:23 +0000

Trying something new with advice from California artist

David Heatwole — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:01:59 +0000

I have been inspired! I am so excited to share that I am trying something new to make the lid murals more “eco-friendly” and maybe more “eco”-nomic! Recently, I stumbled on the work of California artist Linda Merica who works with recycled paper in various ways. She uses recycled paper, or paper mache for a variety of thing but what really inspired is that she does custom floors whereas the paper is made to look like flag stones. She also make counter tops that look great! This is what got my mind wandering and wondering about the paper being a good binder for my upcycled lid murals. For any of you that might be interested in trying to make a floor or something out of recycled paper she has a book for sale on her website for only $9 bucks. Check it out at http://www.papertostone.com/

Mural stands up to snow and Ice!

David Heatwole — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:21:46 +0000

Close vote at Historical Commission

David Heatwole — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:21:50 +0000

Tonight I had to stand before The City of Martinsburg Historic Preservation Review Commission to request an extension on the time allowed for the VanGogh mural to hang at Redbrick Gallery. The last meeting 6 months ago when I asked for permission to do the installation received a unanimous vote for the mural – because this mural is temporary. Tonight was a little different. The score was 3 to 2 for the mural to stay a very close call in my book. The oppostition was tough in my opinion especially since their arguments, while somewhat valid, were also a little silly. One Seat Warmer (I do not have her name handy) gave reason after reason why not to do it, but I don’t think that she had anything positive to add. To bad. Tracy Smith, the City Planner, at the City of Martinsburg had a lot to add against the mural saying that it was deteriating, that in needed to be cleaned & panels weren’t connected. True that a small amount of lids have come off of the plastic mostly due to kids handling it to much. Yes she is correct that the plexiglass pannels do not come perfectly together – SO WHAT? Lastly her comment about cleaning it, is a ligitmate one. Many of the lids have traces of black adhesive on them, could they be cleaned? Yes. Do I want to do it – NO! Do I feel that it needs to be done – NO! Why not? Because it was a free gift from me, and my wife, to the city of Martinsburg as a way to bring in visitors. This once thriving historic district, like so many of the historical towns and cities from around the U.S., are experiencing the same problems of lack of traffic. This problem is primarily due to walmart and other chain stories with bright lights and big budgets to attract all the traffic. What needs to be done to bring the traffic back is ususally a complete overhaul. But who can afford that drastic change? Instead we need to chip away at the problem and recognize when someone is present with ideas that could work for the community.

Although it would be awesome not to have any of this adhesive show up on the lids, it does not take away from them in the least This is not a problem to fix (unlike a typical mural) Plastic bottle lids abound everywhere. One funny comment from the previously mentioned Seat Warmer was that the materials were recycled plastic and not a material that fit into the historical nature of the town. Which is true, however another Seat Warmer who was in favor of the mural was so right on in his comparison to these materials being basically what they use to make the Plastic siding that is so popular nowadays - AND TALK ABOUT WARPING OF MATERIALS!

Thank you to Randy Lewis of Main Street Martinsburg who stood up and spoke in favor of keeping the mural up. And of course thank yous go out to Dorean Conrad and her husband (owners of Redbrick Gallery) for coming out and being in support of the project.

Reprieve for Mural – Journal news

David Heatwole — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:17:20 +0000