Sandusky, OH
UPDATE: We returned in April of 2024 to repaint this mural at a new location due to damage to the previous one from a major storm in 2020! The mural is now officially back on the map!
Greetings from Sandusky Mural Returns
The first mural we lost was the original Greetings from Sandusky mural. However, it wasn't anyone's fault. In 2020, a big storm hit during the pandemic, causing part of the historic State Theatre to collapse. Somehow, our mural was untouched and luckily no one was hurt. It became a bittersweet symbol of how strong the community was during those hard times. Eventually, the wall had to come down for structural reasons in the rebuilding process. We were sad to see it go and also heartbroken after seeing all the work that went into the restoration of the theatre while we were there.
Fast forward to Spring of 2024, we had the opportunity to bring this mural back to the community. The path of the total solar eclipse would pass right over Sandusky and what better time to come create the new & improved version of the artwork. We timed the project so that it would be completed by the day of the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Due to the unpredictable weather, the city set us up indoors to paint the artwork on custom fabricated dibond panels. We learned from the past experience and decided this was the safest way to protect the investment in case of future natural disasters. This also made the artwork both archival and mobile in case it ever needed to be relocated.
Special thanks to our lead artist David Wang with an assist from Mat of Sultan Signs to helped knock this one out on a tight timeline. We kept the imagery very similar to the original but much better technically. We learned a lot since 2017 and happy to showcase our improvements. The scale of the new mural was smaller this time, but actually better for photo ops. We moved the Cedar Point skyline down to the bottom and updated it to have the recent rides & buildings. The State Theater image in the “ND” included a little nod to the Total Eclipse of Sandusky Festival. Last but not least, a big thank you to the Sandusky city team who worked together to install this piece in it’s new home at the Mylander Pavilion.
It feels great to have the Sandusky piece back. Within minutes of the installation being completed there were already groups taking their photos in front of the giant postcard. A lot of people thought that the artwork was printed vinyl but we hope you can go take a look at all the hand painted details in person! We added some UV coating and an anti-graffiti coating to make sure this mural would last as long as possible this time!
The first photo taken at the new mural!
David Wang - Lead Artist!
Original Sandusky State Theatre Mural (2017)
Greetings from Sandusky, Ohio. The City of Sandusky had their bicentennial coming up in 2018. As a result, they invited us to do an official Greetings Tour postcard mural as a celebration of 200 years. A few months later, we made it happen as our 4th mural in Ohio. Our other murals in the state can be found in Cleveland, Toledo and Canton.
The Greetings from Sandusky welcome sign was painted on the back of the Sandusky State Theatre. This was the first commissioned mural to exist in the city, and we hope it opens more opportunities to local artists in the community!
We arrived in town during an exceptionally hot September Sunday. The heat wave continued throughout the week. Fortunately, the city was nice enough to provide accommodations in the Chesapeake Lofts to cool off at night. Most importantly, we had access to showers after long days of painting! Our friend & assistant Dominic Corry joined us once again from NY to help out on this project. We’ve developed a nice workflow together over the years and appreciate all his help on the different murals.
While in town, we checked out some recommended local spots like New Sandusky Fish Company, Toft's ice cream and Mr. Smith's coffee. The research before painting gives us a chance to connect directly with the community. Having conversations with locals is the heart of our project. Their ideas help us create true public art and also gives locals a sense of ownership of the artwork.
Halfway through the week, we got a visit from local 8th grade and high school students. We did a Q&A with them inside the State Theater about the importance of public art and how we make a living from the jobs we created while seeing the country. This truly made us realize the impact our project has on future generations. Their simple questions made us re-think our objectives and how we can communicate our goals more clearly.
One of our favorite memories was going out on the vintage Lyman boat that we painted inside the "K." Jason Werling was the city board members who organized this mural project. He had a friend (Kurt) who owned one of these boats made in 1963. The city was known for building these boats which is why we included it in the mural. We went on a little sunset cruise around Lake Erie with some Cameo Pizza. It was a cool experience to see the Coal Docks from the water. It was another image that we included in the mural within the “Y.” We also took a ride by the shore of Cedar Point, the Roller Coaster Capital of the World.
The city perfectly timed the completion of the mural with an Oktoberfest event. Sandusky knows how to shut a street down to have a celebration! The festival was hosted just around the corner from the mural. We got to celebrate the completion of the mural with some beers, German food and a Dachshund hot dog race! Thank you again Sandusky for all the hospitality, love and new friendships!
“Sandusky celebrated its 200th birthday in 2018. The Greetings from Sandusky mural was the first public bicentennial project as it was completed in the fall of 2017 to welcome visitors during our year-long celebration in 2018. Our city has experienced a renaissance in the past 5-7 years and the mural embraces our city’s history in a way that looks forward to the future of our community. Thank you, Lisa and Victor for your time and effort, and we hope you enjoyed the Lyman boat ride at sunset on Sandusky Bay!”
“The Greetings from Sandusky mural has been a huge hit in Sandusky. As a public art piece it is iconic and attracts people daily. From weddings, to proms, to tourists, the mural constantly has a group taking pictures with it. The process was made simple and Victor was professional and friendly throughout his time in Sandusky. He is a gifted artist that was able to capture Sandusky in a way that resonates with everyone in town. We are so lucky to have been able to work with him and have this wonderful piece in downtown Sandusky. ”
SANDUSKY MURAL ART PRINT
Official museum quality prints are now available in our online shop. Thank you for your support!
Press:
Sandusky Register - Mural painting begins
Sandusky Register - Stamped on wall, artistic postcard highlights Sandusky
Letter Guide:
S — Floral Clock
A — Boy and the Boot Fountain
N — Sandusky State Theater
D — Sandusky State Theater (cont)
U — First Baptist Church / Rush R. Sloane House / "Path to Freedom" Sculpture
S — Lake Erie / Interlake Sailboat
K — Lyman Boat
Y — Coal Docks
ORIGINAL MURAL: *NO LONGER AT THIS LOCATION
Year: 2017
Mural Size: 15'H x 45'W
Location: 107 Columbus Ave, Sandusky, OH 44870
UPDATED (NEW) MURAL:
Year: 2024
Mural Size: 10'H x 20'W
Location: Mylander Pavilion @ 223 W Shoreline Dr, Sandusky, OH 44870