Karen Innis, a professionally trained artist with a Master of Fine Arts degree, arts educator, and longtime Viroqua community advocate, shares the story of the Viroqua Community mural.

The Viroqua Community mural on the south side of Buzzy’s Furniture building grew from a community-driven idea, supported by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board. The goal was not to just create a painting, but to build community participation and pride. The grant allowed us to hire an experienced Wisconsin muralist to facilitate community education, which would build buy-in for the project. Public sessions invited residents to share stories and contribute ideas for the master design.

I led the mural production process from 1995 until 1997, when it was installed and dedicated. We worked in a donated space at Western Technical College, where guided painting sessions invited volunteers of all ages: families, students, community groups, to “make their mark on the mural.” Some painted leaves, others added hidden details on the quilt or to a building. Every contribution mattered, even if people didn’t consider themselves artists. We wanted everyone to feel a part of it, creating a personal connection and allowing the mural to reflect the broader community.

The Viroqua Community mural celebrates the cycles we all share, spring to winter, sunrise to moonrise, and the progression of life from innocence to wisdom. It blends realism and symbolic elements, highlighting our constant relationship with the land and our community. Cows graze in the near and distant fields, winding roads and round barns, a swimming hole and skating pond, a schoolhouse, a farmstead, downtown icons, Hotel Fortney, and the County Courthouse, all under the beautiful flowing wind and changing sky.

Over roughly 13 years, the mural weathered badly and boards began to rot. In 2012, local artist Kathie Wheeler led a restoration with the help of students, repainting elements and replacing panels, supported by around $25,000 of community-raised funds. I provided all original color masters and transparencies so images could be faithfully replicated. Despite restoration, ongoing maintenance remains a challenge, emphasizing the need for a plan for the future of public art–maintenance, preservation, or succession.

The Viroqua Community mural is a quilt of community memories and creativity. It shows what happens when residents contribute their stories, their energy, and their love to a shared project and reminds us that public art is most powerful when it belongs to everyone...