You may have noticed an attractive new feature of the Marysville Civic Center currently under constru
ction. Installed on the building’s west side in mid-October, it celebrates our city’s link to the natural environment.
How was this mural design selected? It started with a public call for submissions back in January, searching for an artist to design and create original artwork that represents the unique character of our city. Marysville’s natural assets include easy access and scenic view of mountains, trees, river and delta lands. The goal was to find a design to complement the city’s natural beauty and the Northwest architectural style of the Civic Center.
A selection committee reviewed the mural design submissions and selected the art piece for display outside the new Civic Center.
The chosen selection was created by Jack Gunter, a prominent Pacific Northwest artist, writer and antique dealer specializing in the 20th century decorate styles. Self-taught using the ancient technique of egg tempera painting, Gunter exhibited his works in several New England museums and in an Andrew Wyeth and Family show in the Sharon (N.H.) Arts Center in 1979. That year a studio fire claimed all of his existing paintings and landed him in Washington State with a pickup truck, his dog and the clothes on his back. Since moving to Camano Island, he has created over 1,000 additional paintings.
The mural was installed by hand with individual tiles earlier this month, and captured on video.
The new Civic Center will open in stages and be fully open to the public in mid-2022. It will consolidate most city services onto one modern, energy-efficient facility housing Police, Jail, Municipal Court, City Council chambers, City Hall, Community Development and Public Works Engineering offices. This will offer residents and visitors a one-stop-shop for city customer service functions and an attractive new public amenity in Marysville's downtown core.
(Photo courtesy: Mark James)