Cory’s Story by Artist, Bill Lucas
Our latest mural tells a tale of Coraopolis history and heritage. Moonlit hills on the bank of the Ohio River represent the land granted to Andrew Montour for his service during the French and Indian War. His Native American name was Sattelihu. The silhouetted skyline symbolizes the town’s development over the years. In the early days, it was concurrently known as Fort Vance and Middletown, because it was home to a protective block house and a railroad station midway between Pittsburgh and Beaver. Local lore says the town’s namesake was a fair maiden named Cora Watson. In 1886, the town was officially established as Coraopolis, a name rooted in the Greek words for Maiden City: Kore + Opolis. The phonetic combination of those words is koʊriˈɒpəlɪs. In ancient mythology, Kore is the nickname for Persephone, the Greek goddess of springtime. She is a classic symbol of seasonal rebirth. The mural features a modern rendering of Kore, who is traditionally shown holding a pomegranate as a symbol of growth. The radiant sunshine accentuates Cory’s colorful community. The seeds falling from the fruit represent flourishing. All of the imagery on the wall stands for the enduring resilience of Coraopolis in the past, present and future.
About the Artist:
Bill Lucas is an accomplished designer and educator. He previously served as Co-founder, and Director of Curriculum, at LUMA Institute. Presently, he is an emerging underground artist. His most recent endeavors focus on murals and other forms of analog artwork. Including, but not limited to… collage, assemblage, serigraphy, and other types of low-tech printmaking. Bill is largely uninvolved in the realm of digital and social media. His studio is based in his hometown of Pittsburgh, where almost everyone is approximately two degrees of separation from everyone else. So, if you want to team up with him, ask around town. You’ll find him operating as an extroverted introvert in the gray space between private and public life. For those who succeed in tracking him down for collaboration, he strives to provide a very high return-on-investment in exchange for the effort.
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About the Craftsman:
The most exquisite parts of the mural titled Cory’s Story were hand-painted by Jeffery P. Lang of Olde Langs Signs and Andrew Paul of Run Rabbit Gilding & Signs. They are enormously talented, detail-oriented craftsmen; and all-around good guys. Likewise, this mural installation was serviced by the late, great Theodore “Ted” Penovich. Our entire crew of muralists mourns the tragic loss of a cherished colleague. Using his classic validiction, we say “Peace out, brother.” Ted’s handiwork now graces the wall of the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation building. We will never, ever forget Ted’s steady hand and his heart of gold.