LISA DENTON: Barry, it has been nothing short of amazing to watch the AT&T building just across the way transformed by the M.L. King Mural. The artists, led by Philadelphian Meg Saligman, basically turned a big, blank canvas into a three-story billboard depicting landmarks, people and random scenes of the city.
They’ll officially dedicate the mural at noon today on the lawn of the adjacent Bessie Smith Cultural Center.
BARRY COURTER: As you know, I did a similar project several years ago when I painted the exterior of my house. The similarities are really kind of eerie.
The AT&T building took six months to paint, and mine took three years. They had 11 people working on it and, by the second year, I had half that many unique personalities and voices in my head, all giving me directions. The mural painters covered 42,179 square feet of surface, and my porch seemed every bit its equal.
The AT&T building took 420 gallons, 120 brushes, five paint sprayers and 120 yards of acrylic fabric. Also, 565 volunteers helped. I didn’t use any acrylic fabric, but I did have two volunteers – my parents. So you see, they were almost the same.
All kidding aside, the mural has transformed the area, and I get to look at it every day.
LISA: My best view is the section that faces East 10th Street, showing a person doing a backflip. I tried that one day after sitting here eight hours, glancing at it out the newsroom windows, but my knees hit the underside of my desk. I find art inspiring but painful.
Same with ice skating. Axels and backspins are not for me, but I know a lot of people have enjoyed having Ice on the Landing here for a second season. But the last chance to take a spin, whether on a blade or your bum, is today.
BARRY: I’m pretty sure the muralists imagined me on ice skates when they sketched that particular pose.
I forgot to mention, the mural dedication isn’t the only thing going on as part of the MLK celebration today. In addition to the stuff at the Bessie, there will be a parade from the corner of North Moore and Brainerd roads to Brainerd High school beginning at 3 p.m. with a concert to follow inside the school. Phusion Dance Group, TruSaint & TureMog of Savior Gang and Big Mike Mic will perform.
LISA: I really think he should’ve gone with Big Mic Mike as a stage name, but that’s just me. We’ll chalk it up to creative differences.
BARRY: Local guitarist Drew Sterchi is headlining An Evening of the Blues on Saturday night at the Bessie. Also performing will be Husky Burnette, Jon Harris Band and Marlowe Drive. Sterchi is doing a 90-minute retrospective on blues music that he’s played throughout his almost 50-year career.
Black Jacket Symphony returns to the Tivoli doing Journey’s “Escape” the same night, and Jamey Johnson returns to Track 29 then also. Marc Broussard is at Revelry Room that night also. That’s a lot of music on one night.
LISA: I’m particularly intrigued by the next Sewanee Performing Arts Series performance at the University of the South. On Wednesday and Thursday, New York actress Sylvia Milo will perform her one-woman play “The Other Mozart,” which is about the brilliant sister of Amadeus Mozart.
At first I thought she might have been Appalachian instead of Austrian since she was called Nannerl. Turns out that was just a nickname. But it sure sounds like what happens in the South when your parents are Nancy and Earl.
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Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.