Downtown Park Rapids welcomed its third mural last summer, a vibrant mural painted in blue, red, and white that combines Scandinavian art motifs with music and arts designs, including a depiction of an Anishinaabe drum as well.
This is now the third mural in downtown Park Rapids; the three vibrant murals bring joy to locals and tourists alike.
Last year, Heartland Arts received a grant from the Park Rapids Community Fund, a fund held at Northwest Minnesota Foundation, to support adding the mural to the building on 2nd Street in downtown Park Rapids.
According to Lu Ann Hurd-Lof, program coordinator at Park Rapids Downtown Business Association and grant manager at Heartland Arts Council, shortly after the new owner bought the building, he expressed serious interest in adding a mural to the south wall on his building.
The Heartland Arts Council approved the new mural project and convened a committee of representatives to discuss its design, review proposals, and select the muralist.
“The committee’s first job was to agree on a theme, which was to express the joy the community derives from music and the arts,” Lu Ann said.
The committee chose muralist Lili Lennox’s proposal after being impressed by her design and her goal of making the new mural appeal to a diverse audience of viewers.
Lu Ann said that Lennox proposed several Scandinavian decorative art motifs with design elements referencing music and arts. In a revised design draft, Lennox added a symbol of an Anishinaabe drum.
“The committee embraced the design as meeting the project’s goal and celebrating a piece of our cultural heritage,” Lu Ann explained.
The new mural was completed by Lennox, who also completed the first mural in downtown Park Rapids in 2020. The team included local Lions Club members and two artists who frequently join Lennox in her mural work.
Heartland Arts held a celebration in downtown Park Rapids after the mural was completed.
While many people were excited about the new addition to downtown, there were some concerns brought up by the community members.
A business owner who leases space from the new building owner was initially skeptical about adding a mural because of her emotional attachment to an old sign on the wall that was made by her late husband. She was upset when the sign was removed.
However, things turned after the project began.
“Once the muralist began to paint the wall … she said she liked the design,” Lu Ann said.
Another business owner on 2nd Street was warned that the sidewalk would be blocked by a lift and barricades as the wall was prepared, but the business owner embraced the project and recognized the benefit of having a new mural in the community.
“So, all in all, two business owners with different beginning attitudes about the project, were very pleased with the outcome,” Lu Ann said.
