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The Ely Rotary Club donated $500 to the Heritage Preservation Commission to support the assessment project for the David Tice Workman murals (Education and Industry) located in the Memorial Building on the Ely school campus.
Workman was a respected American artist known for his murals. These two murals were recently registered with the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
The Ely American Legion commissioned the artwork and in 1926 gave the murals to the High School to mark the beginning of an era of peace following the end of World War I. The murals are located just inside the original entrance to Ely Memorial High School and have greeted students for almost a century.
In caring for artwork, the first step is to have an assessment completed and then the next step is to undertake the restoration. The assessment provides a specific plan of what needs to be done to restore the paintings. The estimated cost of the assessment is $4,200.
“The murals are remarkable art that are part of Ely’s history,” said Pam Turnbull, Co-Chair of the Heritage Preservation Commission. “As we celebrate the centennial anniversary of Ely Memorial High School, it’s the perfect time to preserve these murals so they can be enjoyed by future generations.”
Fundraising has just begun. To contribute, please send a check to the City of Ely MN at 209 E Chapman St, Ely, MN 55731.
