Hues of bravery: Merced mural honors ethnic diversity of America’s veterans
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The ethnic diversity and contributions of America’s military heroes from a rainbow of cultures and experiences is being celebrated with a new mural in Merced — and just in time for Veterans Day.
Painted by local artist Lisa Gilliland-Viney, “the painting “Courage Has No Color” is part of an exhibit displaying veterans of color, on display at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center until Saturday, Nov. 14.
The large canvas painting of three Black members of the armed services, amid several American flags, hangs in the main room of the MAC.
Gilliland-Viney says she had a lot of images to choose from to create the mural, but was inspired by a black and white photo.
“The look on their faces just said honor, courage and anticipation, I’m ready to serve,” Gilliland-Viney said. “I just felt their faces inspired me and I want to portray them in the painting.”
The mural was originally going to be part of an event for Veterans Day that MAC executive director Colton Dennis and Rhonda Batson (Merced NAACP chapter second vice president) were helping out with.
That also involved creating a website and archiving veterans in Merced County. But when the event fell through, Dennis decided to display the mural at the MAC.
“Lisa is our education director here at the MAC. And a lot of times when I have anything to do with arts she is my go-to person,” Dennis said. “I asked if she would be interested in painting the mural and she said yes.”
Gilliland-Viney was thrilled to take part in the project. “I was very honored to be asked to do this,” she said.
“I do have veterans on both sides of my family — my father and uncles on my mother’s side — so I would like to honor veterans, absolutely. And these three, I just felt had a story that I can relate to.”
Batson and Dennis just started a Veterans of Color committee in September. Many of the committee members were on hand for Friday’s unveiling
“We want to honor our veterans of Merced County,” Batson said. “We want to highlight them. We want to have their family and friends tell their story. We do acknowledge that we have veterans in our county that don’t get recognized.”
The Veterans of Color committee has set up a website at vetsofcolormerced.weebly.com. There, people can submit names of Merced County veterans and their stories. The group also has a Facebook page and Instragram account.
Batson was impressed with the mural.
“It’s amazing, amazing to me,” she said. “I can’t believe it. To be inspired to paint this off a black and white image is highly impressive. It’s gorgeous.”
The mural and the Veterans of Color exhibit will be on display at the MAC on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The final day of the exhibit will be Saturday, Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dennis says the mural may become permanent. “The future plan is to find a permanent place for the mural,” he said. “It won’t be on a canvas. We’ll paint it on a wall.”
The Merced Multicultural Arts Center is located at 645 W Main St. in downtown Merced.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 7:42 AM.
