UW-Green Bay dedicates 50th Anniversary Mural

When UW-Green Bay’s 50th Anniversary planning committee began to make plans for its yearlong 50th Anniversary celebration in 2015-16, an art component was a priority. On Wednesday, August 24, the campus presented the piece in a big way — with dedication of a 12′ by 13′ mural on the exterior of the Studio Arts Building (facing the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts).

The mural was painted by December 2015 UW-Green By graduate Beau Thomas, and the dedication was a culmination of nearly six months of planning, prepping and painting. Thomas, a professional mural artist, was charged with “capturing the spirit” of UW-Green Bay’s history through the memories and submissions of UW-Green Bay alumni.

The mural includes references to UWGB’s Bluewhale Coffee House, once a Midwest destination for some of America’s leading blues performers. It also includes an evening Ferris wheel, a nod to the 25-year run of Bayfest — at one time the largest music and family festival north of Milwaukee. Shorewood Golf Course, UWGB’s signature building the Cofrin Library, the campus “Shoe Tree,” Phoenix athletics and the UWGB pep and marching bands are also featured in the mural. The mural was made possible with financial contribution from the Alumni Association.