Proud to be a Part of a Mural Honoring Aging
"Celebrating Life" mural honors aging in Des Moines community
Wesley Homes is proud to have played a part in the “Celebrating Life in Des Moines” mural across from the Wesley campus in Des Moines. The 12×37 foot mural graces the wall of the QFC complex along SW 219th street between Marine View Drive and 7th Ave. S.
“Wesley Homes has been a sponsor of the annual Bayside Champaign Brunch since day one,” said Sue Padden, Senior Service Manager for the City of Des Moines. The brunch is the fund raiser for the Des Moines Legacy Foundation that raises money for many senior programs and in this case the mural honoring aging.
“It took us three years to find a wall,” said Des Moines resident Nancy Stephan who took on the responsibility for finding a wall for the mural and getting the project started in her position with the Des Moines Arts Commission.
Just like a practiced docent, Stephan brought the mural to life through her stories about the people and scenes depicting the rich culture of Des Moines.
Nancy Stephan shown next to her fiddle-playing image on mural
Stephan is, herself, pictured in the mural. She’s the one playing the violin. “And the guy on the banjo is the famous American folksinger, Pete Seger,” said Stephan.
The artist, Chandelle Anderson, chose music as the central theme because in addition to being relevant to the local summer concert series it honors the history of the Draper Orphanage and traveling band that was located at the Des Moines beach park in the early 1900s.
“You may have heard about ‘Daddy Draper’ and the orphanage,” said Stephan, “Some of the descendants of the Draper family are still around. That was the inspiration for Anderson to pick music as reflecting one aspect of Des Moines that is really kind of unique.”
According to Stephan, the Des Moines Historical Society put together a great little book that has quite a bit about the Draper Family Orphanage.
Reading and beach activities were also chosen for their relevance to the region and their universal nature. Jeanie Serrill is depicted on the mural sitting on a bench reading a book,” pointed out Stephan, “Serrill is on the Des Moines Arts Commission and an active volunteer in the community for many, many years.”
Says Anderson: “My intention was to capture the vitality of the elderly in the community, through a variety of roles – as education, role models, caretakers and artists. And to incorporate their wisdom and life experience with children’s curiosity.”
In preparation for the subject matter Stephan took Anderson around to meet people like Carmen Scott on the Des Moines City Council “and a great historian on Des Moines,” said Stephan.
“We talked to Anderson about the diversity of the people who live in Des Moines so we asked her to please include that as well,” she said, “The mural is not historic – this is a current day look at the Des Moines community.”
–ilene little for Wesley Homes
September 1st, 2010 at 7:55 am
THANKS FOR A GREAT ARTICLE ON THE HONOR AGING MURAL!!! THANKS FOR ELEVEN YEARS OF WESLEY HOMES SUPPORT OF DES MOINES SENIOR CENTER!!
Sue Padden
Senior Services Manager
City of Des Moines
September 17th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
How very appropriate that Wesley Homes. a senior services organization situated in Des Moines since the 1940′s, played a roll in sponsoring this wonderful mural! Thanks for this article about its creator and the stories of those depicted in it. Well done!