SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
INMAN, Kan. — The Inman Heritage Museum hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly finished Inman Harvest Mural on the Inman Grain Elevator on Friday.
The project commemorates the 150th anniversary of immigrants bringing Turkey Red wheat to Kansas, with Inman having a rich history with custom harvesting.
Marci Penner, the Executive Director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation was in attendance and had a simple, but strong message.
"We need to let this mural be a symbol of thinking big," Penner said. "Because of this mural, people will be coming into Inman, and they will wonder what we're all about. We're proud of what we have in our origins. I think what the museum is doing is also thinking big, so I hope we can get behind that and continue great things for Inman."
The mural was designed and painted by Mindy Allen, of Mindy's Murals. Allen took the design from her iPad onto the 108-foot tall and 49-foot wide grain elevator.
"I have to use a grid and so for this one with the size of it I used Doodle Grid," Allen said. "So basically doodle all over the wall and then I take a photo of those doodles, layer them over the top of the image and make it so I can see both, and then I can draw from that."
During the fundraising process of making the project happen, the Inman Heritage Museum received a $7500 grant through the "Rural Mural Program" from the Office of Rural Prosperity through the Kansas Department of Commerce.
"When we saw this application come in at the Office of Rural Prosperity, we were practically doing cartwheels down the hallway," Director of Rural Prosperity Trisha Purdon said. "Those of you that worked tirelessly to put this together, put together something so impactful, so huge, that the whole state, the whole country took notice."
Allen started the project in Inman in early June and finished the product in mid-July. The Junction City-based artist spent many hours in Inman.
"We would usually start around 7-7:30 and then work until about 2:30-3, somewhere in there," Allen said. "I don't know how many hours that is, but usually anywhere between seven to 10 hours is what I would work."
The project all came about in a quick time period after Allen was first contacted.
"When Ron (Regehr) first started talking to me about it, he kind of gave me his thoughts and ideas,"Allen said. "I did a design and he took it back to the others, and then to be able to know that was the initial talk and that I was excited about it, but not really sure to be able to see it become a reality is just amazing."
With the mural painted on the western side of the Inman Grain Elevator, Allen didn't have to battle too much of the Kansas sun, but she did have some challenges.
"The most difficult part is just having to deal with the weather," Allen said. "The wind, the rain, needing to take time off for that, or work in the wind, even though its difficult. The heat with this one wasn't so much of an issue, because the side the building faces, so we were in the shade a lot of the time."
The turnout for the ribbon cutting ceremony surprised Allen.
"It makes me feel like I'm on cloud nine," Allen said. "I never expect it and then when I come and there are all of these people to recognize it and pay tribute to it, it just makes me feel so special to be able to have been a part of it."
