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Phoenix mural to spotlight pollinator cycle Saturday Apr 22, 2017 at 12:01 AM Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune A 300-foot-long mural portraying the life cycle of pollinators is planned for part of the new Exit 24 interchange structure in Phoenix. Everyone in town will be invited to help paint the mural, a collaborative effort by the city of Phoenix, a local arts committee, the city's Bee City USA contingent and the Public Works Department. “I had been looking at the wall for quite some time, thinking it would be a great place for a mural about bees and a great place for kids and families. It’s a great learning tool,” said Sharon Schmidt, chair of the Bee City committee, who came up with the concept. Last fall she approached city officials, who welcomed the project and formed the ad hoc arts committee. The mural will be on a tapering, north-facing wall of the southbound off-ramp at Exit 24 facing McDonald's. Drivers on the off-ramp will get glimpses of the painting, but it will not be visible from Interstate 5. Approval for the project will still be needed from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The city’s attorney is working on an intergovernmental agreement that would cover mural maintenance and other circumstances with ODOT officials. “This is going to be a painting. It will be several layers — the background, then the intermediate backing, then the flowers and the bees,” said Judy Grillo, design creator, who is a member of the arts committee and has created murals in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The right side of the mural will show a honeycomb, a three-foot-long Queen laying eggs, and other aspects of bee reproduction. A painted center column will have a "Welcome to Phoenix" message and the Bee City USA logo. On the left will be blue sky with an open field covered with forage, vetch and a variety of flowers and plants being pollinated. The mural will be about 15 feet high, narrowing down to four feet as it follows the wall contour. Grillo has created some of the detail designs and invited other artists to contribute. She may create some paint-by-number pieces. “The people who can’t paint the side of a barn, we are hoping to include them,” said Grillo. “The artists will do most of the detail work. Future Farmers of America at Phoenix High School has volunteered to help.” “My understanding is that the mural and maintenance of the mural will be the city’s sole responsibility. If ODOT had any work to do, the city would be obligated to (restore) it in the same fashion,” said Ray DiPasquale, Public Works director. “We will be coordinating with the groups that will be participating in the painting,” said DiPasquale. “We will help look at the best way to use the materials for the best application and discuss with them maintaining the mural.” ODOT gave the city agreements used to create public art installations between the agency and Medford for viaduct painting in Hawthorne Park and in Ashland for a creek bridge walkway mural. “I definitely think we can get it accomplished before it gets too hot to paint,” said DiPasquale. Grillo hopes to have the background finished by the time the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce holds an art walk June 3 in the adjacent Shoppes at Exit 24. Home Depot has offered materials. Grillo is seeking donations from town businesses to support the project. She is also looking for donations of old cans of exterior latex paint. She will need about 40 gallons of paint and additional clear coat to cover the art. Grillo can be reached at [email protected]. — Tony Boom is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected].