022 LOCAL ARTIST CREATES CIVIL WAR-THEMED MURAL FOR HERITAGE CENTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 2, 2007
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919

LOCAL ARTIST CREATES CIVIL WAR-THEMED MURAL FOR HERITAGE CENTER

(MURFREESBORO)—For local artist Erin Anfinson, the Civil War has become palpable via paint.
That is, thanks to the history-themed mural that she’s been commissioned to create at The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, Anfinson is experiencing the war in ways that bring it to life.
“This experience makes the Civil War much more tangible than I’ve experienced before,” said Anfinson, an assistant professor of art at MTSU, who is currently creating the work that will be a on display at the center’s main exhibit gallery as part of a permanent Civil War exhibit for the City of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.
Funded by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, the commissioned work will be the background for the entire war exhibit, noted Melissa Zimmerman, heritage programming specialist for the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU.
“The Civil War and Reconstruction era is a big part of Murfreesboro, and that is why this mural and exhibit are so important to the city,” Zimmerman said. “The exhibit will tell more about the social history of the event, and we hope that it will better prepare people to go out and see the Sam Davis Home (in Smyrna), Oaklands Bradley Academy and the Stones River National Battlefield (in Murfreesboro).”
Although the artist said she has not titled the in-progress mural itself, the exhibit is set to be titled The Time That Changed Everything: Murfreesboro’s Civil War Era.
“We feel fortunate to have found not only a well-respected, nationally exhibited artist for this mural, but also someone who is part of the outstanding MTSU faculty,” said Zimmerman, who added that the idea for the mural’s design was derived from old photographs now housed in MTSU’s Albert Gore Sr. Research Center.
Anfinson said her main inspiration for the mural, however, is a single photograph that depicts Union troops occupying the downtown square in Murfreesboro during the Civil War.
“She took different pieces of each photograph and wove them together perfectly, (and) she found and incorporated details that most people would never notice,” said Zimmerman, referring to Anfinson’s artistry and skills of observation.
Although it’s not the largest mural she’s undertaken, Anfinson said that once completed, the mural—which is being painted on stretched canvas—will be 8-by-18-feet in size.
As for why her decision to take on the Civil War assignment, Anfinson said she accepted the offer to paint the work because “it’s always a good challenge to take on a project outside of your regular studio practice and working with new content, materials and pushing beyond your normal scale limitations can teach you a lot.”
With a completion date of Aug. 17 as her goal, Anfinson said she first drafted the mural’s design on her computer, then set about the task of transferring the idea to canvas.
As for the center’s staff, they couldn’t be more delighted with the newest addition to their surroundings.
“It was like it was meant to be there,” said Zimmerman of the mural’s locale, “because there is a huge bay window that is framed by wooden molding in the room—the perfect frame for the canvas.”
Anfinson’s mural, however, is just one intriguing component of the upcoming Murfreesboro’s Civil War Era exhibit, which is slated to be completed by late fall, Zimmerman projected.
Planned by MTSU graduate students Ashley Tate and Julie Lenger, co-curators, the exhibit will encompass 15 panels that present information through text and graphics, as well as three interactive exhibits, Lenger said.
Once completed, “We hope the exhibit will inspire visitors to explore the county’s many historic sites and neighborhoods to uncover more of the story,” Zimmerman said.
Located at 225 W. College St., the center is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily each Monday through Friday. Admission is always free.
For more information on the center, including current exhibits, visitors’ information on area sites and cultural events, programming or tours, please contact the center directly at 615-217-8013.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA—To request an interview with Zimmerman or Anfinson, or request a jpeg of Anfinson at work on the mural for editorial use, please contact Lisa L. Rollins at lrollins@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-2919.

***Please note: If the feature contained herein is reprinted in full, please provide byline credit to MTSU student Rometrius North, who is an intern in MTSU’s Office of News and Public Affairs.