Tnemec Company, Inc. and Urban Sight, Inc. have announced the completion of the largest mural in the United States, known as the Glass City River Wall, in Toledo, OH. Urban Sight, Inc., a community art non-profit organization, spearheaded the mural, which is located at the ADM grain silo facility along the east bank of the Maumee River.
The mural is visible from Interstate-75, the Maumee River, and downtown Toledo. It encompasses 28 silos spanning 170,000 square feet and required more than 3,500 gallons of paint from Tnemec.
The mural was designed and executed by Los Angeles artist, Gabe Gault, who is known for his portraits and backgrounds using camouflage patterns. A crew of local artists and renowned mural artist, Eric Henn, assisted Gault in completing the project. Gault incorporated sunflowers—to represent hope, faith, and good fortune—and three portraits portraying a Native American elder, mother, and child to represent the indigenous people of the area who were also the original farmers of the land. The people who modeled for these images were from three different Tribes: the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, the Shawnee Tribe, and the Dakotah Tribe. The choice to use live models was intentional to reinforce the fact that Native Americans are not people of the past but exist in vibrant communities today.
“The project was started by a group of friends dedicated to creating a warm welcome and message of hope and positivity for the community of Toledo and its visitors,” said Christina Kasper, president of Urban Sight Inc. and project manager for the Glass City River Wall. “The project has generously been funded through a mix of private and public funding. To date, nearly $1.2 million dollars has been raised from corporate sponsors and the public fundraising initiative. All told, we’ve had more than 800 donors. The support from the community has been integral in completing this project.”