News & Events

Restoring Steubenville's Murals
Monday, July 13, 2009

STEUBENVILLE - Rusty Baker looked down from his perch and asked for his helper to give him red, white and yellow paint.

"Maybe that brown paint, too," said Baker as he mixed the colors preparing to restore the bright red of the Radio Flyer wagon on the Central Recreation Center mural on the wall in the Market Street mini park.

Baker was hired by the Steubenville Murals Inc. to touch up the Central Recreation Center mural during what Beth Wood, the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau director, hopes will be a long-term campaign to restore all 25 of the city's murals.

"It is a challenge that I enjoy very much. I have been preparing the block wall first and will start on the actual detail painting this week. I have been doing this for 30 years and have never taken an art class. I love doing this type of work. I get paid for my work but this is about so much more than the money. This is doing something I absolutely love and enjoy," said the Millersburg resident.

"This is my first time working in Steubenville but I have worked in other communities along the Ohio River including Follansbee, Wheeling, New Martinsville and Marietta. This is an older city but it still has great infrastructure. A lot could be done for these older buildings by doing some brick restoration and painting the window sills and woodwork," said Baker.

"I do brick staining, create a three-dimensional mural look on walls, interior murals on walls and ceilings as well as mural restorations. My first step here was to scan the wall. Then I fixed the flaws in the actual wall and start work on retouching the mural. I freshen up the paint colors and maintaining the original artwork," noted Baker.

"I have a different approach to painting murals, so when I am restoring a mural I work very hard to stay true to the original work.

"I don't get paid for what I do as much as what I don't do. I have to hold myself back and it takes a little longer because I concentrate on the details of the original painting," Baker explained.

He adjusted the scaffolding to allow him to start painting the wagon.

"I use an expensive quality paint that will last for a long time. I enjoy bringing the life back to the mural," said Baker.

He noted he conducts considerable research into the history of the mural and the subject before picking up a paint brush.

"Remember how you would learn by writing down information. Well I do the research, write it down, draw it out and then paint it. So I learn a lot about the subject before I start painting anything. The entire process means a lot to me," said Baker.

The Central Recreation Center mural Baker is working on this week includes several activities at the former Adams Street facility that served as the focal point of the city's black community from 1915 until 1979.

"I am staying true to the original mural but will brighten the painting up. If all of the murals in the city are restored, I think it will make a major difference to the downtown community," observed Baker.

He also said he would be interested in creating his own mural for a downtown building exterior wall.

"I have been approached about painting a Rat Pack mural featuring Dean Martin. That would make a great mural," said Baker.

Wood agreed and said the second mural scheduled for touch-up work is the High Shaft mural located on the Ribar Building on South Fourth Street.

"We really hope this mural is just the start. We will be seeking donations and other funding to restore all of the city's murals.

"We have some funding available for this work but it is limited. The city still sees a large number of visitors who come here to tour the mural sites. They are still a big draw for us," stated Wood.