Travel Experiences with Jeff Barganier: Maddie’s Marion Murals

Maddie’s Marion Murals

Maddie working from her lift bucket

I first read about charming Maddie Deiters in an issue of The Epoch Times. If you’re not reading The Epoch Times newspaper, you’re missing out on some wonderful human-interest stories. At the intrepid age of 14, Maddie has made a name for herself painting huge murals on the sides of buildings in her hometown of Marion, Illinois. Her paintings narrate emotional stories of industry, service, patriotism and sacrifice. Because Cindy and I found Maddie’s story so refreshing and inspiring, we had to see those beautiful works of art with our own eyes!

Marion (pop. 17,500) is 400 miles north-northeast of The River Region and 319 miles south of Chicago. Our route took us through Birmingham, Nashville, Clarksville and Paducah. Watch out for frequent and horrendous potholes on I-24. Taking a more westerly route after Birmingham extends travel time but the roads are better. But once you arrive, expect to find some of the friendliest people on the planet, lots of history, a unique town square in the process of being reimagined, and buildings explod-

Maddie with Jeff

Maddie's Eagle

ing with art. It’s worth the drive.

Mayor Michael Absher liked the idea of creating murals. “The way that whole mural program started—and we didn’t invent the idea, there are a lot of small towns doing murals—and so, when I got elected in 2019 and wanted to do it, I ended up hiring somebody. And she took on the project and sort of put together a package where we did it in two phases.”

Maddie's Coal Miner's Mural

The City of Marion tried to get a National Endowment for the Arts grant, but the effort failed so they ended up using local money to get started.

“We advertised nationally, really, for art concepts. Proposals came in from Europe, Mexico City, Los Angeles, and Austin. Each owner/occupier of a specific building had a say in picking out what motif they wanted. The city had veto power to make sure something inappropriate didn’t go up. Artists could bid on just a concept they had sketched out and get a monetary award for that; and then they had the option to paint it (themselves) or not. So, Maddie submitted several concepts for different buildings and ultimately was awarded (the coal miners) one. I don’t know that anyone ended up not painting their own. We didn’t know, at that stage, how that would work. There’re a lot of talented people that can sketch something out but may not want to do a

hundred-by-hundred mural five stories in the air. But, anyway, Maddie submitted several concepts for different buildings. How she can do that at fourteen years old is amazing. She’s also playing (violin) with the Southern Illinois University Symphony over in Carbondale! Just multi-talented. I guess she’s starting to get calls from all over the country at this point. She could actually make a living,” Absher said.

When asked how painting murals has changed her life, Maddie answered, “A lot! Because before painting murals, I was a kinda-sorta artist—I did art but not really—and this is, like, now real.” Plans for the future? “I’ve been thinking about going to college for art but I’m not quite sure yet.” She’s thinking about the Savannah School of Art and Design.

Between art projects, she makes music with her family. Her mother plays piano, dad plays the bass guitar and older brothers play banjo and guitar.

Maddie has some keen advice for young people: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you’re young.” In her case, metaphorically speaking, that might be difficult to do. Her work often elevates her high up the side of a building in a lift-bucket. You can see her in action by accessing her video on YouTube. Search for: I just painted a HUGE MURAL!!!! 8,000 square feet!! She tells of working one site where the city had placed orange traffic cones down the middle of the street to give her plenty of room to paint. She watched from her bucket

Marion's Town Square

Marion Marines Mural

Marion Police Mural

I must admit: I never know what to expect when travelling far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. But in the case of this inspiring story about a special young lady who’s serving as an awesome example to her generation, it was all gold. The on-the-move City of Marion, Illinois is also an exciting place to visit with its eleven-hundred-seat cultural and civic center, interesting history, outdoor attractions, great places to eat and much more.

And Southern Illinois is not unlike Sweet Home Alabama. As Bill Swinford, Publisher of the Marion Star, explained, “Most of the families that settled Southern Illinois were out of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina—that direction. So, it’s still very much that slower, Southern pace, hospitality, and friendliness. It’s a whole different world from going to Chicago. Every now and then there’ll be a movement to make Southern Illinois a whole new state.”

Maddie’s dad Henry told me, “I’ve lived all over this state, and you happen to be in the best part of it.” Watch for more on Marion and Southern Illinois in a future issue of BOOM! And when you go see Maddie’s Marion Murals, greet ’em for me, saying, “Hi, how y’all doin’?”

For more information see: www.CityofMarionil.gov www.Marionccc.com

Jeff S. Barganier is a novelist, travel writer and manager of Cindy Barganier Interiors LLC. He travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. Contact: Jeffbarganier@knology.net. Instagram: @jeffbarganier. Visit: www.jeffbarganier.com.