Schroeder’s mural project gets green light

ANTIGO — A mural project will begin soon at Schoeder’s Gifts. A motion passed at Wednesday evening’s city council meeting to approve funding for the project.

The mural will span the entire north wall of Schroeder’s North, also known as the frame shop. The image was designed by Antigo High School Art Club President Brett Powell, according to Olivia Kraucyk, the club’s advisor.

“‘Northwoods Scene’ is how we’ve kind of named it,” Kraucyk said. “It’s a sunset over a pine tree forest with a lake in the middle. It’s very bright and eye-catching, but also very serene. That’s kind of what we were going for.”

Schroeder’s Gifts Manager Erin Schroeder said she and store owners came up with the concept for the design.

“We decided we wanted to put a mural up, and the two owners and I just wanted something that spoke Northwoods,” Schroeder said. “We knew we wanted the high school kids to be involved in it, which was why I went through Olivia at the high school, so we sort of just threw out lake and sun and trees and really a Northwoods vibe, and one of the students threw something together for us, and I said, ‘That’s great — can we make these changes?’ and on we went.”

Schroeder said finally receiving approval for the project is exciting.

“We had to go through some hoops, and we got through them,” she said. “Honestly, we started this conversation back in 2022. We’re on two years of making this happen, so we’re excited to finally get some paint on the walls.”

Kraucyk, who also helped complete the racehorse mural on Thrivent’s 5th Ave. building, said 10 to 15 students from the club will assist in painting the mural.

“I am thrilled mostly because I know we are trying to work with kids and make sure we’re staying on schedule for them so they are able to work on it,” Kraucyk said.

“Our goal is to be done by the end of May, but it could potentially go into June, so maybe two months max. But it all depends on weather of course.”

Antigo Visual Arts (AVA) will pay $685 for the project’s materials, but will be reimbursed for 75 percent, or $513.75, of that total from money the city was awarded in 2022 through a facade grant, according to Langlade County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Angie Close.

“The total dollars that were allocated [by 2022] were $9,289.74,” Close said when discussing the history of the city’s mural program at a Public Arts Committee meeting Monday night. “To date, we did have two projects that were awarded grants. One was the 5th Ave. project on what now is no longer there, the Busche building — the sandwich board art panel was on that building. That one was granted material cost of $476.24. That was reimbursed. The second was on the mural for the horse racing painting, and that total was reimbursed I think $1,735, somewhere around there. The remaining dollars in the program right now according to my documents are $7,013.50.”

Kraucyk said she believes the project will help beautify the Antigo south side.

“I’m super proud of Brett and her design,” she said. “She had a few different designs and we picked out the best that worked for Schroeder’s. Seeing that they’re excited for it and being how bright and welcoming I think it’s going to be, I think it will definitely be a bright spot along Highway 45 when driving through.”