Thurston County Fairgrounds - 2004

Mural spruces up fair
by Julia Nicholls, The Olympian

Cows, llamas, chickens, cats and dogs are no strangers to the Thurston County Fair. But this year, some new animals are on display. They are quieter, brighter, smell better and plan to stay long after the fair ends. The new rooster, dog, horse and cow are part of a larger mural by local artist Marge McGinley. The mural will hang on the Fine Arts Barn.

"We're excited about her particular work because she does a lot of animals, but she does it in a way that adds real flavor," Fair Manager Rick Storvick said.

The Olympia Art League, which has been working with the fair for decades, approached the fairgrounds with the mural idea.  "We got a little discouraged that the building was getting very old," said Carol Wilson, president of the Olympia Art League. "I got the idea that we could really spruce it up if we added murals to that building." The building needed new paint and walls. But, the art section of the fair needed a boost as well.

The art league gives awards to different categories of artists, dispenses a monetary award and provides all the judges for the show, Wilson said.   Entries have been dropping in recent years because people are too busy, McGinley said. McGinley plans to enter a smaller version of the rooster in the show. This year, the league is adding interest to the arts department through two avenues. The first is through having artists painting scenes at the fair, which is a very inspiring setting, Wilson said.  "I just feel that fair is like the one I went to eons ago in Iowa when I was a kid. They're just a delightful little slice of Americana," Wilson said.

The league hopes the four-paneled mural also will brighten up the fairgrounds. Each panel is six feet tall and four feet wide.  The rooster panel will go on one side of the barn door and the three-panel barn scent will go on the other.  "They're one of the first attractive, neat things you see. I think they'll draw people to that building." Wilson said. "They're keeping with the theme of the fair."

McGinley usually attends the fair and sketches and takes pictures.  "To me, the fair is farms, animals and the kids," McGinley said. "I hope a little small-town fair like this never becomes obsolete."

McGinley grew up on a farm in North Dakota and mostly draws horses.  "I'm just in love with horses," McGinley said. She feels girls are drawn to horses because they symbolize power.   "I'm not a psychologist, but it seems like it would make sense," McGinley said.

Her paintings incorporate shape, color and movement and use many different styles. The mural is less abstract than most of her work, partly because the large size makes adding her usual detail difficult.   McGinley sketched out a smaller version of the scene and is using a grid to paint the scene on the panels.

"I've never done anything this big before," McGinley said. "It's been a real exercise for me."