Monday, December 22, 1997
Artist paints mural in bank basement around
the clock
By ANTHONY WILSON Staff Writer
Patty Rae Wellborn's mural in the basement of a downtown bank
was a paint by numbers: 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock ...
Arriving in the offices of the National Center for Children's
Illustrated Literature Monday morning, Wellborn had about 24 hours
to finish six paintings outlining the fledgling museum's origin.
Fueled by equal parts coffee, chocolate, Ibuprofen and inspiration,
Wellborn completed the creation in just 16 hours, leaving a little
time for the paintings to dry before their public debut Tuesday
afternoon.
Wellborn's rush job is resulting in rave reviews.
"It's as magical as I hoped it would be," gushed
Mary Cooksey, the NCCIL's executive director. "It was better
than I imagined - and I imagine pretty well.
"People ooh and ahh and gasp when they see it," she
added. "That's the greatest compliment."
Wellborn is equally pleased though less surprised by her work.
"I've always been a determined person and I can't accept
that I can't get a job done - if it's an art project," she
said. "Now I'll never get my house cleaned. But I was inspired
to do this." THE ALL-NIGHTER
Wellborn was late, obviously, in joining the effort to create
a national showplace that honors children's book illustrations
as fine art.
Cooksey was wanting artwork on the walls of the NCCIL's new
digs in the Security State Bank building when she noticed Wellborn
painting Christmas scenes on some windows across Cypress Street.
In six hours, Wellborn produced nearly 20 paintings.
When Cooksey contacted the artist two Thursdays ago about the
NCCIL project, Wellborn pounced on the opportunity.
"She said there was only one catch - it had to be done
by Tuesday," Wellborn said. "I said, 'OK.' I can do
just about anything because I can't say no."
Using a script authored by Linda Simpson, the NCCIL's marketing
chairwoman, the artist spent six hours over the weekend - including
three in a rough-riding pickup - sketching characters and ideas
she said came quickly to her.
For instance, using Simpson's image of books being children's
key to the universe, Wellborn drafted scenes of Mayor Gary McCaleb,
one of the masterminds behind the NCCIL, handing a giant key to
a youngster; of a girl blowing dreamy bubbles (inside which she's
an astronaut) through the key; and of a princess cradling the
key outside a castle.
Wellborn said turning the mayor into a cartoon character was
easy.
"His eyes have always been interesting to me," she
said. "They're brown and really big. I worked around them
and got his eyeglasses, then his smile and then his bald head."
When Wellborn arrived at the NCCIL's offices Monday morning
toting her paints and brushes, FastSigns had already scripted
Simpson's story on the walls, leaving space for the images.
The painter confessed she began to worry immediately.
"I knew it would be an all-nighter, so I set about accepting
that in my mind," she said.
After tracing her sketches on the walls, Wellborn began to
paint. And paint. And paint.
In 16-1/2 hours she took just two breaks, both to eat.
"They weren't leisurely meals either," she said,
noting she supplemented her food intake with M&M's and coffee.
She also gobbled Ibuprofen pills to soothe muscles that ached
in accordance with the time and energy she was spending.
"Artists can do incredible things at a tempo the rest
of us mere mortals can't imagine," Cooksey said. "They're
like athletes who get 'in the zone.' They have no sense of time
or the energy they're expending. Phones rang and people would
come and go, and Patty never looked right or left."
By 1:30 Tuesday morning, Wellborn was exhausted, her energy
poured into freehanded castles and waterfalls, and into detailed
scenes with as many as 10 characters.
"Artists are never satisfied with their work," she
said a few days later. "I still see things I would like to
change. But at 1:30, I decided I couldn't go anymore.
"I'm really pleased with it," she added. "I've
always wanted to illustrate children's books, and this is like
one big storybook."
'THAT'S ART'
Wellborn lists apartment manager, factory worker and manicurist
on her resume. Three years ago, she devoted herself full time
to art on the advice of her therapist, a confession she made with
a laugh.
After doing lots of freebie work to build a reputation, Wellborn
is finally earning a living with her art, including from other
murals.
She has painted murals at the Mall of Abilene for the Abilene
Opera Association and at three churches. She's now finishing wall
paintings at Olde Abilene Treasures and Mezamiz Coffee House's
newest shop.
The latter, which she hopes to complete by Christmas, will
include up to 100 hidden items - Wellborn's trademark.
The scope of such work makes it more challenging, she explained.
"That's why it's hard to find people to do murals,"
Wellborn said. "It's hard work, but I love to do it. I'm
mastering getting up a ladder with a palette."
Wellborn has penned a couple of children's stories but hasn't
yet illustrated them. Someday, she said, she'd like to see her
works displayed in the NCCIL rather than on it.
"When I see and hear (children's illustrators), I just
think, 'Man, I wish that was me doing that' " Wellborn said.
"It's about time someone thought of this," she added,
referring to the NCCIL. "You always hear about writers. It's
about time illustrators are finally getting some attention. What
they do is creative and fun. That's art."
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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