The local community can help complete a paint-by-numbers mural on the side of the Bloomington Creative Glass Center building Saturday, according to BCGC’s website.
BCGC, located near Switchyard Park, will host the event from 1-6 p.m. La Poblana Taco truck, JD’s Taste of Chicago food truck and The Chocolate Moose will provide food and drinks, according to the website.
Designed by a local collage and stained-glass artist, Carol Hedin, the mural is 27 feet long and consists of three panels. Once it is finished, it will be installed on the west and south sides of their building, on display in front of the Grimes Lane entrance of Switchyard Park.
The center collaborated with Hedin to design a paint-by-numbers mural with individual pieces that people can paint. It took about four drafts, BCGC Founder and Director Abby Gitlitz said.
Chloe Dukes, the mural coordinator, said the mural will make references to the center’s previous glassblowing projects such as their annual Great Glass Pumpkin Patch. Gitlitz said one section will represent working with hot glass and another will represent cold glass.
The paint-by-numbers mural event is the center’s inaugural First Saturday event. Gitlitz said they plan to hold a community glass arts event every first Saturday of the month. Future First Saturday events may consist of glassblowing demonstrations, theater and mosaics, Gitlitz said.
If it rains during the event, marketing intern Lina Millsap said the center will bring everybody inside the hotshop, the glassblowing room, to continue painting.
“It’s a big room with an industrial garage door,” Millsap said, “so it’s plenty safe.”
People who cannot participate Saturday can sign up to help paint the mural on June 6, 8, 9, 12 and 16 on the center’s website.
Dukes said they want the mural to brighten up the area and be something the public can enjoy, especially because it will be in view of Switchyard Park.
“It’s just gonna be a fun day and kick off the summer since the kids are out of school,” Dukes said.
