The mural, created by artist Elizabeth Wallsmith in 2021, spans both a concession stand and a restroom facility, the latter of which the City of Neosho said needs dire updates.
One building "is just two old restrooms, and they're so outdated, not all accessible, all inclusive, ADA accessible. So, our best option was to remove those old restrooms and start fresh," said Kenny Balls, Neosho Parks and Recreation manager.
Sarah Serio, president of Neosho Arts Council, the organization that originally sponsored the painting of the mural, said it's "unfortunate that a piece of the mural will be torn down," but she said the arts council is grateful the parks department informed them of the demolition early in the process.
Nature's Treasures, Wallsmith’s creation, coincided with the Missouri Bicentennial and features natural elements and symbols of Neosho and the state of Missouri as a whole. Notable features include the Missouri state reptile, amphibian, bird and insect, as well as references to the history of the area. Both parts of the mural, on the concessions stand and the restrooms, are painted in a style resembling that of a completed coloring book.
Two notable features that will be lost are a three-toed box turtle, which is the state reptile, and vines of purple grapes that are symbolic of Hermann Jaeger, a Swiss immigrant, who settled 6 miles east of Neosho in 1865, according to the arts council. His vineyard and work with native grapes helped save the French wine industry when it was devastated by disease in the 1870s, it said.
While part of the mural will need to come down, Nature’s Treasures is one of many murals featured in NAC’s Murals of Neosho Guide and Descriptive Audio Tour.
“We are fortunate that this mural was one of the first pieces we included in our descriptive audio tour as it will now preserve the work in its original form,” said Serio.
The guide piece covering Nature's Treasures will remain up, with NAC planning to document the removal of the mural to add to the guide. It can be accessed at neoshoarts.net.
“You know, it was a tough decision, but we felt it was the best decision," said Balls. He said some of the mural on the restroom building was flaking. "It was going to need to be touched up anyway, so...we tried to keep all things in consideration, you know, because we do understand how difficult it is sometimes whenever there is murals on buildings but we try to just be transparent and keep everybody informed," said Balls.
The City of Neosho plans to take what it can from the demolition site.
"Wallsmith may want it or the art council or possibly we could put it up somewhere in our existing parks," Balls said.
The artist understands why the building — and part of her mural — must be demolished.
“Any artist who dedicates time and talent to a public piece knows it has potential of not being there as long as it is desired,” said Wallsmith. “Seeing your hard work removed can be discouraging, but both the City of Neosho and Neosho Art Council have included me in the process, which makes the change easier to accept."
In addition to documenting the piece in the audio tour and saving pieces of the mural, the City will also provide Wallsmith with the opportunity to create an addition to the mural on the new restroom/pavilion structure. The details covering this addition will be added to the mural guide and will include a new audio description as well.
“To feel valued as an artist by having the opportunity to create art in the space again is exciting,” Wallsmith said in a statement. “I am honored that I would be given another opportunity, something I wasn’t expecting through this change.”
Balls said he appreciates the arts council for working with the City on the project.
“Neosho has got several murals throughout the town, and it's great, and [we] just want to look forward to keep them moving forward on that.”