Robin Wallenfang continues working on the Hutchins Street mural Monday afternoon. Wallenfang returned to Lodi from Green Lake, WI to fine tune the 65x15 foot masterpiece. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

WallDogs artist returns to complete final mural

Robin Wallenfang continues working on the Hutchins Street mural Monday afternoon. Wallenfang returned to Lodi from Green Lake, WI to fine tune the 65x15 foot masterpiece.

Residents questioned whether the community project was finished or not. "Rome wasn't built in a day," jokes Tony Segale.

The entire mural took a year in planning and the weekend the WallDogs just wasn't enough time to work on the Roman art. Forty volunteers worked with Wallenfang the first go around. She learned from other artists and she taught others about mixing colors and other painting techniques.

According to Segale, the community project was "for the community by the community." No city moneys were used in the many murals. The Meehlis-Sinclair family was the largest financial contributor.

The event is still ongoing.

Segale says that commemorative pieces, maps and brochures are in the works. The Fitness Pro building owner, Fred Hagerty Jr. was in town from Chicago this weekend and stopped to see the ongoing work. He told Wallenfang that the mural was "drop dead gorgeous".

The artwork has many symbolic aspects to it. The Roman numerals read 1998, a major year for Hutchins Street Square. The fire red represents the fire that destroyed Lodi High School which later became Hutchins Street Square. The artist sited the phoenix rising out of the ashes. The Latin sayings are In vino verum which translates to In Wine there is truth. The other Latin phrase is Numen vel dissita Iungit — A divine power unites even opposites. The latter comes from a castle in Europe.

First published: Tuesday, July 25, 2006