Artist Chad Elliott works to transfer the initial concept onto a much larger scale.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
Six panels will match up to create one mural.
When the Guthrie County Arts Council approached him about painting a mural to capture the essence of the county, Elliott realized the idea would be just as challenging as the actual painting.
“As an artist, I really wanted to simplify it into one iconic image, and that took a while,” Elliott said. “We wanted it to represent Guthrie County, not just Guthrie Center. But, also, we wanted it to have a historical basis but also look to the future of Guthrie County.”
The mural is being painted by Elliott on six separate panels, each of which is 4 feet by 8 feet.
“It’s a method that I learned when I was doing stage backdrops, using a grid method,” Elliott said. “I take a small canvas and paint the image I want, and then I dissect that into a grid and then do it on a larger scale.”
The image Elliott is painting shows a farmer plowing a field. Elliott said he chose that image because of the strong agricultural heritage of Guthrie Center, while the planting of seeds gives a glimpse toward the future.
The finished mural will be displayed on the side of the fire station in Guthrie Center, so it will be visible from far away by anyone traveling west on State Street in downtown Guthrie Center.
Elliott is a native of the county, and he told of his beginnings as an artist.
“I graduated from Guthrie Center, and decided right then that art was my path. I went to school, undergrad, for sculpture and painting,” Elliot said. “During that time, I was also into music, so I started down the path of touring and performing music. But I kept the art going the whole time, and I have my own art studio in Jefferson now.”
Elliott told of his family.
“We moved to Jefferson a year ago. I’ve got three kids, and one is an adult now. I have a daughter who is turning 13, and my son is turning 11. My wife, Alyssa, is the manager of my business.”