Riverton City Hall is getting a new piece of art – free of charge.
The banner will be mounted next to a painting that’s been on display for years on the outer east wall, according to city staff.
‘Art for art’s sake’
The same local residents – Hal Herron and Mike Martin – provided both pieces of art, though the newest installation also benefited from a grant from the city’s economic development arm IDEA, Inc., Herron said.
The two men were also responsible for last year’s art banner project in Fremont County.
“I just think it’s kind of cool – art for art’s sake,” Herron told the Riverton City Council when he asked for (and was granted) permission to procceed with the project during a regular meeting this week.
Panning Gold
The banner proposed for City Hall comes from the Whitney Western Art Museum in Cody, featuring a piece called “Panning Gold, Wyoming” by William Leigh.
Herron said the image “accurately reflects one of the economic pillars” of the town: the mining industry.
“It kind of feeds into how this community – and our county and our state – grew,” he said. “I think it’ll look beautiful.”
The banner is about 10 feet wide and 8 feet tall, staff said – about the same size as the other image on the east wall, which depicts a painting called “Carson’s Men” by Charles Marion Russell.
Herron and Martin will install the new banner at no cost to the city, according to staff.
More in the works
Herron and Martin have helped facilitate the delivery and installation of about 18 pieces of art around town over the years, and several more are coming soon, Herron said, including two that will be located on downtown businesses.
“We really do appreciate the work that you do,” Riverton Mayor Richard Gard said. “It’s fun to see (art) hanging around town.”
For more information about the project call Riverton City Hall at 856-2227.