One of the two murals by artist David Lawrence that hang in the Prendergast Library. The library has to remove both murals as part of a renovation project and a fundraising effort is underway to prevent them from being destroyed during the removal process.
JAMESTOWN – There’s still time to save two murals that are currently hanging inside the James Prendergast Library.
The library board met Thursday afternoon and approved a motion to assist in a fundraising effort to save the two murals, which were done by artist David Lawrence in the early 1960s. According to library executive director Tina Scott, it would cost $8,400 to $10,700 to save each of the murals – which were glued to the walls when they were first installed in 1963.
However, time is an issue, given that the company that says it could help preserve the murals would only be available to help up until the first week of June. After that, it has other projects to undertake and by mid-June the library would need to start its renovation project – which calls for removing one of the two murals during the first phase of renovation. That means the money to preserve the murals would need to be raised by the final week of May.
The James Prendergast Library in Jamestown
While the library doesn’t have any money to spare in the preservation effort, Prendergast Board President Tom Price told WRFA following the meeting that the library would do all it can to assist in any fundraising effort that is undertaken to see that the artwork can be saved.
“We’re going to knock on some doors ourselves and make the ask,” Price said. “Now that this has been publicized, we might get some local donors, not just the family and their contacts. [The artist’s son] Charlie Lawrence has said he’s from Bemus Point and he’s got contacts in the area as well as where he lives now, in Cleveland. It’s going to be sprint.”
If the fundraising effort is successful, library officials say at that time they would decide what to do with the murals once they are safely removed from the walls.
Anyone wishing to help in the Save the Mural fundraiser should contact the library at (716) 484-7135 to learn how to make a donation.
Leave a Reply