The Perry Public Library this week unveiled its Heart Wall, the product of more than 250 people who attended Art on the Prairie and who stopped long enough to create a heart-themed painting on a 4″ by 4″ canvas.
The array of 256 mini canvases, bought by the library from Amazon.com, measures more than 13 feet in length and 3 feet in height and fills much of the north wall of the library’s west wing.
“Each painter had a choice of acrylic paint colors, heart-shaped cookie cutters and paint brushes, all purchased at out local Ben Franklin store,” said Perry Public Library Director Mary Murphy.
The passing artists could plan their heart art because the library also had “4-inch by 4-inch squares of heavyweight paper available for sketching and cutting before the artist painted the canvas,” Murphy said.
She said the resulting 256 hearts were mounted on the Heart Wall using 3M Command picture hanging strips.
“They worked great, and the wall is amazing!” Murphy said. “If you are in the area, please come by and be inspired. The heart-shaped theme was chosen to reflect how we are similar in many ways but yet unique, too, a unity in diversity, a community composed of individuals.”
Murphy said she adapted the idea of the Heart Wall from a similarly successful project using public space in Canada.
“It’s kind of pleasing when you have a vision and it turns out,” she said.
