“VENUS OF THE SPRINGS” by artist Patrick Cunningham
By Leslie Fisher
A surprise pop of color and whimsy awaits those who venture just off the main drag in downtown Hot Springs. The latest in a series of murals popping up throughout the historic district, Venus of the Springs is a 40-by-90-foot work of art that graces the backside of Karicole Plaza, a three-story building located at 620 Central Avenue. Featuring a woman’s face as the focal point, her eyes seem to be watching over drivers along Exchange Street and Prospect Avenue.
The mural was created by classically-trained artist Patrick Cunningham whose work appears in private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. A native of southern California, he has lived in Hot Springs for the last 10 years and regularly displays at Legacy Fine Art Gallery. Best known for his Old Master style of painting, he has studied fresco techniques under Italian masters in Italy and mural design in France.
The mural is based on an earlier work of Cunningham’s – a 24” x 36” painting purchased by Debbi Lee, whose partner Thomas Nagin owns Karicole Plaza. Nagin was inspired by the influx of murals throughout downtown and wanted to do his part to add to the continuing beautification of Hot Springs.
Nagin approached Patrick about recreating the painting as a large-scale mural on his building, which houses the downtown branch of the post office, along with several other businesses and short-term vacation rentals.
“I was very excited for the opportunity,” Cunningham said, “so we started talking about how to proceed. It’s great working with Thomas and getting some of his design input as well for the mural.”
The stucco on the building was too rough for the painting, Cunningham explained, so he painted the face on 4’ x 8’ sheets of cement board which was then attached to the building. The face in the mural was inspired by a 16th-century Italian Renaissance painting known as Venus of Urbino.
In addition to emulating the style of the Renaissance Masters, Cunningham also utilizes several of their techniques from underpainting to glazing. The mural is accented with gold leaf, applied to cement board by Cunningham’s wife, Ann who is also an artist.
The mural also includes various geometric shapes that give a nod to the Art Nouveau influence, while a seashell pays homage to Venus’ backstory and to the building itself. Nagin, who is fluent in Spanish, combined the names of his two daughters, Karina and Nicole, to form the building’s name, Karicole, which in Spanish (spelled caracol) means seashell. The queen chess piece was added to represent the feminine principle.
“The mural itself represents the dichotomy of old and new, the Old Master face and the newer geometric shapes, connecting the past to the present,” Cunningham said. “Venus in Roman mythology, the goddess of love and beauty, was born in adult form from the sea foam and represents the watery female principle, essential to the generation and balance of life. It, therefore, seemed fitting to name the mural Venus of The Springs to connect Venus to the warm springs of Hot Springs.”
To learn more about Cunningham and to see examples of his work, visit his website www.artkarma.com.
You can easily get swept away by the beauty in Hot Springs National Park. But an added bonus to Hot Springs is that there is also ample cultural beauty to indulge in, as well. Beautiful, eye-catching murals, for instance. Whether they celebrate local history, community, or just the whimsy of art, these pieces, in and around downtown Hot Springs, make the area somewhat of an outdoor art museum.
The mural also includes various geometric shapes that give a nod to the Art Nouveau influence, while a seashell pays homage to Venus’ backstory and to the building itself.
Visit www.hotsprings.org to Tour the Murals of Hot Springs
