New mural is now ‘live’ at the Weidner Center

Beau Thomas in front of his Studio Arts mural.

Same artist, different mural. Local artist and national artist Beau Thomas ’16 (Art and Design Arts) created a new mural on the UW-Green Bay campus. This time it’s backstage at the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts. Thomas created his first mural while still a student — a 50th anniversary mural on the exterior of the Studio Arts building, literally a couple hundred steps from the new Weidner Center backstage mural.

“We have noticed that the uptick in social media presence stems from putting the opportunities in the hands of those who are visiting the center,” says Weidner Center Executiive and Artistic Director, Kelli Strickland. “We made great strides in this regard with our ‘step and repeat’ backdrop in the lobby. Patrons lined up to take photos in front of it. We wanted to create the same opportunity for those performing at the Weidner who weren’t in the lobby but backstage.”

“The mural message of ‘live’ at the Weidner is at the heart of what differentiates the performing arts from all other entertainment,” Strickland explained. “We are live and in person. Not filtered through recording and a screen.”

She said Thomas was chosen because of relationship with the University and his strong track record of murals across the community.