Maine artist laments removal of her mural

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Published: Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2011 / Updated: Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2011 06:14 PM
Maine artist laments removal of her mural
By CLARKE CANFIELD - Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine --

An artist whose 36-foot labor-history mural was removed from the Maine Labor Department said the artwork should be returned to the agency's walls and suggested the state should hang her late father's Bronze Star in its place until then.

Artist Judy Taylor, of Tremont, said it was "heartbreaking" to learn the controversy may have been sparked by an anonymous letter that compared her work to North Korean propaganda. Taylor said in a statement Wednesday that her late father served in the Korean War and received a Bronze Star.

Taylor spent a year working on the mural for the Department of Labor using a $60,000 grant. It was installed in 2008 but was removed last weekend after Gov. Paul LePage said it was biased toward organized labor and out of line with his pro-business agenda.

"Perhaps we should hang my father's Bronze Star for his service in Korea in the now-empty reception area of the Maine Department of Labor until the mural is returned, as a symbol of the importance of remembering our history and not shuttering it away," Taylor wrote.

Read more: http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/03/30/2950903/maine-artist-laments-removal-of.html

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http://media.timesleader.com.nyud.net:8090/images/portland-press-herald_3529017.jpg

Judy Taylor's mural
Hundreds protest mural removal; artwork could land in Portland
By Jeff Tuttle, BDN Staff
Posted March 25, 2011, at 1:22 p.m.
Last modified March 26, 2011, at 7:31 a.m.

AUGUSTA, Maine — More than 250 demonstrators crowded into the offices of the Maine Department of Labor on Friday morning to protest Gov. Paul LePage’s planned removal of a labor-themed mural from the building’s lobby.

The small lobby that houses the actual mural, however, was no match for the crowd, which instead was forced to line long stretches of the hallway to listen to speakers express their thoughts — ranging from confusion to dismay to outrage — at the Republican governor’s order.

“This mural belongs to the people, not the governor, and we want it to stay where it is,” Robert Shetterly, a Brooksville artist, told the crowd, which at times broke into anti-LePage chants including “Recall Paul!” and “Art in, Paul out!”

More:
http://new.bangordailynews.com.nyud.net:8090/2011/03/25/politics/hundreds-crowd-department-of-labor-offices-to-protest-mural-removal/?ref=mostReadBox

http://thinkprogress.org.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/lepage3.jpg

[dipsydoodle]

1. Recd

Great piece of art.

Hopefully my apostrophe will be back tomorrow - gone walkies at present. :shrug:

[felix_numinous]

2. K&R

'...Paul LePage said it was biased toward organized labor and out of line with his pro-business agenda.'

The stupid is strong in this one. I hope he is recalled!

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

3. One anonymous letter is all it took for the art to be removed

If that's the standard this governor uses to act, I've got an anonymous letter I'll send which suggests he shove his head up his ass. There are lots of people in his state who are offended by the fact his neckless head is still visible.

BTW, his "do it on the weekend" approach reminds me of the Alabama Supreme Court Justice who planted in the Court's lobby a marble block which had the Ten Commandments on it. In his case the deed was done in the middle of the night.

[Pacifist Patriot]

12. Guess if I believe there actually was an anonymous letter.

[toddwv]

13. Yeah but it came on Koch letterhead.

So you know how it goes after that...

[bluesmail]

4. So Sad. I hope more good will become of this wrong. (shaking head)

Yes I read Omaha Steve's post, where the beautiful panels ended up, still it's a wrong.

[Omaha Steve]

5. See this post too

It needs some replies and some R's.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x774704

[NeoConsSuck]

6. The next Democratic governor

should re-hang it, and do it as part of a big ceremony. And don't invite any pukes or baggers to the ceremony.

[Scottybeamer70]

7. Did we just throw out all the laws

in this country and give the governors the right to just dispose of whatever it is they happen to not like?
I don't get it. Who gave them all this power? At the rate things are going, it isn't going to take very
long for a theocracy to take over this country......if it hasn't already. This just can't keep going on.
There has to be some oversight somewhere!
That ol man wouldn't know art if it smacked him in the face!
( How I miss Ann Richards!)

[Beartracks]

8. Bravo, LePage!

Why should there be a "pro-labor" mural at the friggin LABOR Department, eh?

:sarcasm:

Don't forget to call Gov. Walker and tell him what a great American he is.

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[Downwinder]

9. Does Main have a Department of Commerce?

If so what kind of murals do they have?

[CHIMO]

10. Image

Of the Taliban come to my mind.

[marybourg]

11. I think they should also remove the name "Labor Dept." and re-name

it the "Anti-Labor Dept."

[Uncle Joe]

14. Removing that mural was petty, ridiculous and did a disservice against art, history and labor.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

[Vinca]

15. I'm happy to know the artist - it's a beautiful mural.

What a shame the state is stuck with a loon for 4 years.

[immoderate]

16. It is in the nature of Republicans to crap on people when they can.

--imm

[louslobbs]

17. Who voted in this Jackie Gleason wannabe? How Sweet it ain't

lou