Something new this year will be a mural marathon. The Walldogs are coming to Waukesha! We will be seeing many previously blank walls covered in music, Les Paul and Waukesha related themes within a very short time frame sometime this summer.
From the Freeman:
GuitarTown: Encore!
Artists to be announced at Monday reception
By Sarah Pryor
Freeman Staff
WAUKESHA – It may still feel like winter outside right now, but one sure sign of summer approaching is the rapidly solidifying plans for Gibson GuitarTown Encore, which will officially kick off in June.
Monday evening, the Waukesha GuitarTown Steering Committee will announce the artists selected to design the next round of 15 10-foot fiberglass replicas and 24 playable Les Paul guitars in the public art project.
According to a press release from the steering committee, the free reception is open to the public and will take place at Bernie’s Tap Room, 351 W. Main St., at 5 p.m.
Last year, the project included 10 10-foot and 20 playable guitars decorated by local artists with everything from stove coils to leather and more, all of which were displayed both indoors and out in downtown Waukesha.
This year, the project has grown to 15 ten-foot guitars and to 24 playable showcase guitars, for a two-year total of 25 10-foot guitars and 44 regulation- sized playable ones, according to the release.
A committee headed by Lynn Gaffey, owner of the Almont Gallery and artistic director of the Waukesha GuitarTown Project, selected the artists. Artists were required to submit a bio, portfolio and proposed conceptual ideas, and selection was based on artistic merit as well as the guidelines for public art provided by Gibson and Waukesha’s Public Art Committee, according to the release.
This year’s sponsors will be able to display the guitars at their places of business, as well as on an area map of Waukesha like last year’s guitar pick map, according to the release.
Playable guitars will once again be sent to Gibson for the addition of strings and related hardware before being returned to Waukesha for indoor display.
All the guitars will be displayed in downtown Waukesha during the opening weekend of summer music festival Waukesha’s Freeman Friday Night Live on June 7.
The joint efforts of the Gibson Guitar Foundation and local sponsorships are providing funding for this project, according to the release. For sponsorship information, contact Waukesha GuitarTown President Rick Congdon via www.waukeshaguitartown. com
Email: spryor@conleynet.com
