Moondog Mural Unveiled in Owego

The Tioga Arts Council (TAC), Michelle Schleider – Mural Artist, and its project partners recently unveiled An Homage to Moondog. To mark this momentous occasion, a ceremony and ribbon-cutting took place on Nov. 20 at the mural’s location in the alley/ parking lot located at 72 North Ave. in Owego.

Street musician, instrument maker, and avant-garde composer, Louis Thomas Hardin (1916-1999), known as Moondog, inspired musicians as varied as Charlie Parker, Frank Zappa, and Igor Stravinsky.

Known to perform his original compositions on Sixth Avenue in full Viking regalia, Moondog also maintained a home upstate in Candor, New York, and had many connections to Downtown Owego.

“He is a true American original, whose contributions to jazz, classical, indie, folk, and rock music are incalculable,” TAC wrote in a press release.

The Homage to Moondog mural is a painting across three, 8’(W) x 4’ (H) MDO panels. In total, the image 8’ (W) x 12’ (H). It is installed at 72 North Ave. in Owego, New York, on a property owned by IJM Properties, LLC.

According to Schleider, it consists of the following visual elements: “Half-Length Portrait; I combined three different images of Moondog to make this one,” adding, “I really wanted to incorporate the smile in the image you sent me.”

Of the helmet and spear, Schleider explained, “Since his Viking helmet and spear were part of his signature look for a while, I thought it would be wise to include more than just a head and shoulders portrait. My hope is to capture some of his stoicism. Moondog actually wore a bright green tunic, but I decided to make that the color of his cloak in order for the harp and daffodils to stand out.”

As for the daffodils, Schleider decided on just three daffodils so she could paint them large and really make them pop.

“There are SO many daffodil varieties to choose from, and when I looked at photos of the Candor Festival, I saw multiple varieties grown and displayed,” Schleider noted, adding, “In the end, I wanted to go with the classic trumpet flower – the Dutch Master. Its popularity, hardiness, and dramatic shape and color should make it recognizable whether one is incredibly familiar with daffodils or not at all.”

Featuring Moondog’s music prominently in the mural felt very important to Schleider. In the mural, he is holding on to a troubadour harp.

“I read that the harp he played was specially made for him by a group of NYC musicians,” Schleider added, and additionally noted, “I also included some of the other instruments he invented in the musical notes around his head, including the trimba, triangular drums, and round gourds- similar maracas.”

After receiving permission from Owego Historic Preservation Commission, Michael Poe, Cloud Croft Studios researched the best way to install the work, ensuring the utmost safety and longevity of the piece. He received preparation and installation guidance from Golden Paints, Anything Artistic, other muralists, and local contractors. The installation process took two days. The final installation occurred with help from the following team: Michael Poe, James Overhiser, Josh Thole, Brandon Smith from Scott, Smith & Son, Inc., and Christina DiStefano.

Michelle Schleider is a contemporary artist combining over 30 years of knowledge and skill in classical realism with a fresh, modern approach to oil painting. Her work is charged with color harmony and gesture and is painted with purpose and depth. She adds elements of her personal story and experiences to every one of her paintings.

Schleider grew up on Long Island in New York and was influenced to make art a regular practice by her mother who was an artist and art teacher. She holds a BA in Studio Art from Providence College, with a concentration in Painting and a minor in Art History. She had the memorable experience of studying art and art history in Siena and Florence, Italy at Richmond University.

After graduating, Schleider explored, lived, and painted in several more cities including Tucson, Arizona; Seoul, South Korea; and San Francisco, California. For several years she took painting and drawing workshops from many well-known and accomplished artists. She then taught art classes to adults, teens, and children in traditional and atelier schools. Throughout this time, she was always a freelance artist.

In each region she’s lived and worked, she’s gained a deep appreciation for how the surrounding environment and personal experiences can influence artists and what they create. Since then, Schleider has incorporated many of her own experiences into her work, including the plants she grows, the places she visits, the people she meets, or particularly interesting subjects that grab her attention. She’ll often throw herself into deep research and learn everything she can about the subject so she has enough to work with when she creates her next painting.

Schleider currently lives and works in Upstate New York with her husband and two daughters where they treasure the four changing seasons. During the spring and summer months, they’re surrounded by hundreds of flowers they planted and a huge vegetable garden that they built together.

Schleider’s paintings are in private collections around the US and internationally. Her work has won many awards and has been included in several exhibitions, including the Cape Cod Museum of Art and the Roberson Museum in New York. She was also selected as a featured artist for Trekell Art Supplies and The Great American Paint-In.

She is currently represented by Ocean Galleries on the coast of southern New Jersey and Arden Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts.

Governor Kathy Hochul awarded 11 community partners across the state to create 56 new murals through the Cultivating Havens for the Arts through Regional Murals (CHARM) program. A new initiative of Governor Hochul, this inaugural phase of CHARM will support the creation of art across 21 counties, tapping into New York’s unmatched artistic community to enhance existing community spaces, celebrate local culture, drive visitation and promote civic engagement. This public art program is administered by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

Thanks for this project are extended to the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes for selecting TAC to participate in this statewide initiative, and to IJM Properties, LLC, for granting permission to install this mural at 72 North Ave.

For additional questions, contact Christina Di Stefano at tiogaartscouncil@gmail.com.