Penn State Intercom......January 31, 2002
New mural offers view
of Old Main lawn
A
new mural on campus offers a view of Old Main lawn as seen through the
eyes of Melanie Eger, a junior art student in the College of Arts and
Architecture. The mural, located on a wall directly outside the windows
of 401 Old Main, depicts what one would see when looking out the office
windows if the wall were not blocking the view.
"The inspiration came from the bell tower," said Eger. "I had been up there on a campus tour and the view from up there is spectacular ... I wanted to do a reproduction of the view that the people in the office would have if the wall were not there."
Paul Peworchik,
coordinator of information and administrative systems in Old Main,
had
been searching for someone to paint the mural for a few years, ever since
the department received approval for it from Provost Rodney Erickson.
A chance meeting between Peworchik and Eger made it possible for the mural
to become a reality.
Peworchik worked with the Office of Physical Plant to prepare the area for the mural and helped Eger get approval to receive independent study credits for her work since the project was not a class assignment.
Eger met with members of the office staff to come up with ideas for the mural, which took more than five months to complete. She plans to add a few more features, including a pond and fish, although these things do not exist on Old Main lawn.
According to Peworchik, the mural has had a very positive impact on the people in the office, particularly on cold, dreary days.
No matter what the weather, "I always see green grass, students on Old Main lawn and kids throwing Frisbees," said Peworchik.
Eger's future plans include pursuing a career in painting and obtaining a master of fine arts degree .