Historical photographs can say a thousand words, but a mural tells the whole story.
The Williamson Museum, located in the heart of historic Georgetown, unveiled the first phase of its Museum Works Project (MWP) in May 2007. Each mural, based on an historical event, industry, or individual that contributed to the history of Williamson County, now adorns the upper panels of the Museum’s exhibit gallery. In Your Space artists and the Williamson Museum collaborated on the project to create seven original, hand-painted murals on 8’ X 12’ and 8’ X 10’ canvases that are now on exhibit at WCHM.
The murals created through the MWP are based on the murals of the 1930s and 40s created through President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), a division of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This project was designed to provide economic relief to Americans who were suffering during the Great Depression.
The PWAP and subsequent Fine Arts Project (FAP) resulted in the production of almost 250,000 original works of art for the American public and the creation of over 5,000 jobs for American artists. Many of these murals still exist in public buildings and historic post offices throughout the state of Texas and across the United States.
With this project, the museum captures the spirit, nostalgia, and beauty of the 1930s and 40s public art style with seven stunning history-themed murals. Significant historical events and individuals were common themes of the original PWAP, and the Museum will continue in this tradition with the creation of the Phase I murals.
THIS EXHIBIT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY
The Williamson Museum
The Williamson Museum is a non-profit corporation established to collect, preserve and exhibit documents and material objects relating to the history of Williamson County and help to preserve the unique stories of the county for both present and future generations.
In addition, through exhibits and the archived files of Williamson County, the TWM will provide insight, information and relevant material about life in Williamson County in a variety of areas. This focus allows the WCHM to educate, inform, and entertain the public. For more information, contact Lisa E. Worley — Museum Curator: lworley@wilco.org
The In Your Space team collaborated closely with the museum to create the historically-themed MWP murals. For weeks, artists from In Your Space volunteered time to paint each of the murals, taking into consideration color, materials, composition, and historical accuracy. The result are unique murals that are educational, exciting, and breathtaking.