Jim Steele (JS) – Today, I’m fortunate enough to have a conversation with Pamela Bliss. I went out on a limb, and cold called her for an interview while she was busy working on her latest mural of John Mellencamp in downtown Seymour, Indiana, which has quickly become the talk of the town. I’d use “The Small Town”, but I’m trying oh so hard to keep this on an even keel, and the fact of the matter is that Pamela has been out and about for many years. She’s arguably one of the most accomplished artists I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, and I appreciate her time and her talent. Through her work, she has helped to make this town, State, country, and even places beyond our shores a brighter place to live. Thanks for taking some time Pamela.
JS – I suppose the first thought I have is to start at the beginning and ask- how long have you painted; and what type of art, or discipline, did you first begin to pursue?
Pamela Bliss (Pamela) – I’ve been painting for about 30 years. I’ve always drawn or painted in realism. I typically paint highly detailed and very literal. However, I will be attempting some other forms this winter when my schedule slows down.
JS – When did you kind of settle in on murals, and at what point did you reach what we all would term as a “professional status”?
Pamela – I painted some cartoon type of murals early on for some schools. But 23 years ago, I was approached about painting a mural of a large-scale jazz band in eastern Indiana. I was asked to do another and then another so it snowballed into full-time. So initially I was a part-time professional painter and now I am full-time.
JS – You’ve completed numerous murals in other cities, such as the Reggie Miller and Vonnegut works in Indianapolis. But you’ve also worked internationally, being selected to work in 2016 on the “World’s First Fully Painted Movie, ‘Loving Vincent’”. Of all the projects you’ve been a part of, which one (or one’s), might you consider to have been your favorite project thus far?
Pamela – Well, painting on the film “Loving Vincent” was a totally different experience. It was something that I don’t typically do which is impressionistic painting and then add animation on top of that. I met so many international artists that also worked on the film and got to see the nuts and bolts of how a film is made, not to mention an animated film. I lived in Poland for 4 months while working on the film in Breakthru Film studio in Gdansk. The film took 6 years to make so I came in on the tail end with about 35 or 40 artists that they brought in around the same time. Over the entire 6 years, they had about 125 artists from all of the world. It was hard for me being a realist painter but I wouldn’t exchange that experience for anything. It’s not often an artist gets called to travel to Europe to do art. But I would say that my favorite projects are a toss-up between the Miller and Mellencamp murals. I’ve wanted to do both Hoosiers for a long time. I grew up as a young adult listening to Mellencamp and I watched Reggie way back when the Pacers took us to the playoffs. It was such an exciting time. So, they are both nostalgic for me. I might lean a little more toward the Mellencamp mural because I was so welcomed in that small town of Seymour by everyone and became friends with Mellencamp family. So, it went a little deeper than just painting the mural for me.
JS – In addition to being a sought-after painter, you have your undergrad, as well as a Master’s in Arts and Administration from I.U.; but, you’re also an Instructor there. How do you translate your professional experience into the classroom? I’d be willing to bet that your students love some of the assignments you’re able to work up.
Pamela – I don’t teach anymore. I taught painting, drawing and ceramics for several years as adjunct at the IU East campus. When I moved from Richmond to Indianapolis, I taught online art history topics for a few years before going full time painting. I had never taught mural painting as I wasn’t as adept at it at the time so the lessons probably weren’t as exciting as they would probably be now. LOL.
JS – Through all of your travels, you’ve managed to stick around the Hoosier State, which leads us back around to your most recent work, the John Mellencamp mural outside of This Old Guitar in Seymour, Indiana. How did the process begin in working with This Old Guitar to put up the mural, and when did you know that Mellencamp was going to endorse the project?
Pamela – Larry McDonald who owns This Old Guitar had been working on getting a mural of Mellencamp for almost 6 years. He wasn’t quite sure how to proceed and didn’t get much traction the first year or two. Eventually, he approached the City of Seymour and Mayor Luedeman and Jana Plump were instrumental in moving the project along. Since it was such a large-scale work, they wanted someone experienced in large scale projects but also with an aptitude for portraiture. So, they contacted me as I have experience in both.
JS – A lot of people have made the comment that your work went up on the side of the building very quickly. In reality, how long does something like say… the Mellencamp mural, or any work of that size, take to complete?
Pamela – It took a little over a month. I figured 4-6 weeks because weather can be unpredictable. If I had started earlier in springtime it would have been taken me 3 months because it literally rained for two months straight, that’s not typical. Yes, it rains in spring but that was unusual.
JS – As a follow-up to that question, how much preparation actually goes in to the project before you open a single can of paint, or get a brush out?
Pamela – It depends on the wall. Some walls are ready to go and I can walk up to it and start painting, after the initial organization of it, of course. Others may need tuck pointing or structural repair, which that calls for professional masons to do that work. Raw brick will need a concrete primer sealer, while an already painted wall might only need washed or scraped and a fresh coat of paint. But essentially a wall should be prepped enough that even if a mural was not painted on it, it should be fully completed to ensure longevity of any paint that goes on it. One thing you don’t want is to depend on a mural to complete the wall for longevity. The mural will fortify the paint, but a mural will only last as long as how well the wall is prepped. The better, the longer it will last.
JS – I stopped by to see your work, and to introduce myself, a week or so back while you were trying to begin painting. I could tell that you were anxious to get to work, and when you mentioned that you needed to make use of the remaining daylight, took the hint and left you to your work. I would imagine that you have quite a few folks stop to see what you’re up to. Tell me, how difficult is it to work un-interrupted and to remain productive in a public space?
Pamela – When I am working up high, I usually don’t have to deal as much with the public directly. When I come down to inspect my progress is when people come and ask questions. It’s usually not a problem, but there are times I am on a time crunch, like rain might be coming or it’s turning dark and I need to get a color completed. I try not to be rude, but I have to continue with what I’m doing. I do have to try and remember all my corrections before going back up so if someone asks me questions then what I’ve just calculated and memorized goes out the window and I have to stand there for a while longer and observe and remember the calculations and corrections again.
JS – When you settled in on doing the mural of John, what was the process in determining the images that might be used? Whichever way it happened; the thing looks classic. The FFA jacket from Scarecrow, and the image of John in later years are both so iconic and recognizable that they seem like a terrific choice, working as a natural progression of sorts representing his career. Still- I would imagine it was a tough call on what images to put on the side of that building, am I right?
Pamela – I have to be careful of copyright of photos. Since they wanted young and older John then I had to depend on photos of his younger years. So, I asked for photos that were already given permission for use just to avoid any legal issues. The images I chose were two of the photos that were supplied to me. I wanted to use the FFA jacket because it said Seymour, Indiana and it just made sense to showcase that. And I selected the quote from his song “I was born in a small town” because the mural was about him being from the small town. It wouldn’t have made sense in another town as much as Seymour.
JS – Referencing those images of John, it’s easy to know the longevity of Mellencamp’s career, but what is the lifespan of the painting itself? What type of paint was used for this project? I’m also interested to know what types of methods or preservative measures have you used that might help to preserve your work?
Pamela – I typically use exterior latex house paint. For the reds and yellows in the faces I used a higher pigmented paint to help the color last longer. But I put an acrylic sealer on it to help even further the life of the colors. A mural can last 40 years if the prep work is done well. Let’s cross our fingers that the structure of the wall stays sound that it will not create any peeling areas.
JS – Thanks again Pamela. I can’t thank you enough for taking some time out of your day to discuss a few things about what has definitely become the talk of “The Small Town” here in Seymour, Indiana. We all love Mellencamp, and are proud of the success he’s achieved over his career. The community is also grateful to you for bringing your world class talent to our corner of the world, and in providing such an extraordinary reminder of John’s importance and presence in the community. Any parting thoughts?
Pamela – Thank You! You can see more of my artwork at www.PamelaBliss.Gallery and if interested in a mural you can find my contact information there. Have brushes, will travel!
Would you like to learn more about Pamela’s work? Join us for a discussion session with the Artist this coming Sunday, January 5, 2020, at the Jackson County Visitor Center from 2pm – 3:30 pm. The Following From Their Page:
“Pamela Bliss, the artist who painted the John Mellencamp Mural, will return to Seymour for a unique event to discuss the mural she completed earlier this fall.
The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Jackson County Visitor Center, 100 N. Broadway St., Seymour.
Bliss will discuss how she painted the mural, the challenges, stories of people who visited, what it was like when Mellencamp himself saw it and much more in an interview-style format. Bliss also will take questions from the audience during a portion and share her photographs throughout the process.
Larry McDonald, This Old Guitar Music Store owner, also will briefly share stories about those who has visited the mural since it was completed.
Bliss said she looks forward to returning to Seymour and sharing her work and experience.
“I was so well received by and welcomed by the community while painting on the Mellencamp mural,” she said. “I look forward to meeting with community members and talking about the mural and my other artworks.”
Seating is limited to 80 and will be given on a first come, first serve basis. There is no cost for admission and refreshments will be available.
Arann Banks, executive director of the Jackson County Visitor Center, said that the center is excited to offer this event to the community and Mellencamp fans.
“This is a very unique opportunity to hear from the artist who painted the mural, which has already drawn so many visitors,” she said. “We are thrilled to welcome her during this one-time event to hear stories about the process.”
For more information about this event, call Public Relations Manager Jordan Richart or log on to jacksoncountyin.com. To see all work by Bliss, log onto pamelabliss.gallery.
Read the full story from The Tribune“
Follow THIS LINK to The Jackson County Visitor’s Center for more details!
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