Artists- R.E. Wall and Margaret Dewar

“Arizona Artists Turn Up The Heat!”

 Everyone knows summer in the Valley is hot. So hot, the buildings are melting! That is the theme of “Melting Point,” a new mural on display at 220 W. Main St. in downtown Mesa. The image of a turn of the century, classic building covers the entire exterior of the store, dripping and sagging on its foundation. This new work is turning up the heat in downtown Mesa.

Artists R.E. Wall and Margaret Dewar are best known as the Mural Mice, a collective of Arizona public artists originating from Prescott in 2005. “Murals are a great way to inspire those around us and beautify our cities,” says Wall.

Known for their detailed work, Wall and Dewar murals contain many hidden secrets. Taking a closer look at “Meting Point,” reflections in the windows depict stormy skies, a portrait of the artists’ dog, Ruby, stands in an open doorway, and a mouse and a cat hide in the small nooks and crannies of this intricate piece. “When people notice something new each time they look, it keeps the art interesting,” says Dewar.  

 Glenn Blackmore, owner of the thrift store, “Eclectic Monkey Emporium,” has a vision for downtown Mesa.  Mesa has a reputation of being a little dry and sleepy, but the mural located in the heart of downtown may be melting away old perceptions of the city. Blackmore has set a new trend by wrapping his entire business with an unexpected attraction for Mesa.

 “Melting Point” is a collaboration made possible with a grant from Mesa Community Development Corporation with cooperation from MDMA (Mesa Downtown Merchants Association?). The City of Mesa reviewed the designs and waved permit fees. Building owner, Susan Tibshraeney resurfaced the building. The artists painted from April to October at night under floodlights, scurrying about the building, hiding from the summer sun to manifest Blackmore’s idea.

“Melting Point” is a must see on the Mesa scene.

Artists’ Statement

 The foundation upon which our reality rests dissolves before us, the old structure bends beneath pressure. Civilization as we know it stumbles forth to the inevitable point of no return, we wake up to discover we have already reached the “Melting Point.” 

 The image of a turn of the century, classic architectural style building, dripping and melting from the heat of the Valley sun represents the increasing temperature of the city, but it is also symbolic of transformation. We rely upon and place trust in an illusion of stability, but this reality is fluid, and melts away. From the liquified goo of an old framework, come new ideas. Rising as a serpent with fiery wings, humanity prepares to enter the new age of understanding. Gone are old perceptions of truth as they give way to a new paradigm.

 Painting in the heat!

        Mural painting is a journey. Each project holds challenges, some artistic, some physical and many personal. The endeavor to paint “Melting Point” through the heat of the Mesa summer was an intense experience to say the least.      

         Driven by our belief that art and creativity can transform the world around us, it became a matter of principle to bring forth a new artistic flavor to the city of Mesa. Working almost entirely at night to escape the heat of the summer sun, we painted while the city slept. The nights are quiet for such a big city, only fellow night owls caught glimpses of us scurrying about beneath floodlights, music humming and brushes flying.

          Artistically “Melting Point” was a difficult task. The task to create a convincing depiction of a three-dimensional building look as if it is truly warping and drooping proved to be a giant puzzle that required a great deal of problem solving, sweat, and some tears.

          The meaning of “Melting Point” evolved with the experience of creating the work. The art became symbolic of our struggle with extreme heat, the harshness of the city environment and the isolation of working constant overtime. The warping, liquifying building represented our attachment to the way things should be dissolving before us. The images painted in the windows reflect an optimistic outlook with a bright and beautiful sunset. Our reality is never set like mortar and stone, it is what we make of it. 

• Click to view the Melting Process