Local Faces to be Included in Rio Dell Mural

Press release from the Rio Dell – Scotia Chamber of Commerce:

A new mural is about to be painted in Rio Dell and people are invited to have their likenesses (or those of a friend or family member, living or deceased) painted into it.  Sponsored by the Rio Dell-Scotia Chamber of Commerce, it is being produced with partial funding from the City of Rio Dell’s Facade Project which encourages efforts to revitalize buildings in the downtown area.  The more than 800 square foot image will spread across two sides of 99 Wildwood Avenue, a building at the corner of Wildwood and Monument which currently houses the Community Resource Center and formerly was home to a store owned by members of the Ambrosini family, long-time Rio Dell residents.

In order to finance the balance of the expense, the chamber is inviting people to submit likenesses of the person they wish to include in the mural – themselves, a parent or sibling, child or friend.  There are three sizes and price-points and several scenes from which to choose.  Prices range from $75 to $250.

Depicting images from the past 150 years, the mural includes scenes with loggers, shoppers, and townspeople enjoying recreation and socializing in bars, all things for which the community was historically known.  It celebrates the several cultures and many families that settled in the area that became Rio Dell.

Artist Julia (Morgan) Fordyce is known for other artwork in the area including the mural at the St. Vincent de Paul of the Redwoods facility in Eureka.  People interested in the project should check out her website, juliafordyce.com/riodell which includes sketches of the mural, examples of her past work, frequently-asked questions about how to participate, and a form whereby someone can upload images from which the likeness would be drawn; choose the size, location and scene, and pay via Venmo or Paypal.

For those not online or familiar with paying through this method, contact the Rio Dell-Scotia Chamber of Commerce at 707.506.5081 or by email at [email protected] to receive a paper version and to pay by check, or stop into Root 101 at 770 Wildwood Avenue to fill out the paperwork and pay by check.