McHenry planning 2 new downtown murals this year

Now that an artist has been selected, McHenry Brewing Co. owner Bob Master hopes a planned mural project will be ready for its unveiling in time for the brewery’s seventh anniversary celebration in June.

The brewery’s mural project is one of two that McHenry is working on with local businesses, property owners, artists, and McHenry Community High School District 156, said Doug Martin, the city’s economic development director.

“We wanted to promote public art within the community for a number of reasons. Public art is good for economic development, it draws people to the community,” Martin said. “They foster a sense of pride in the community and add to the community’s culture.”

Master has operated the McHenry Brewing Company at 3425 Pearl St. since taking over from the former owners of Chain O’Lakes Brewing Co.

He was aware of the city’s mural policy of the Green Street mural installed in fall 2022, and reached out to Martin about what is possible at his location.

The Green Street mural, completed in October 2022, runs along an alley at 1216 Green St. The $18,000 mural project was funded by a coalition of area businesses, said Dawn Bremer, a local Realtor and organizer of the mural project. The butterfly-themed mural is next to her office.

“It is one of the coolest things. Multiple times, daily, we see people taking photos in the wings of the butterfly,” Bremer said.

Master said he wants his mural to tie into the building’s history as a brewery, McHenry’s history, and “do something for the community.”

The brewery offers a huge canvas for the artist, with wide, tall walls that can be seen from Route 120 (Elm Street).

“We have a huge wall painted a salmon-pink color” now, Master said.

He’s still working with the city on a theme and a design for the mural, but the artist has been picked: muralist Jenny Mathews.

The mural committee and the McHenry City Council still needs to sign off on the design and the $9,500 expenditure, Martin said.

An idea for the second new mural came from Dorothy Wolf, the city’s economic development assistant. “She had the idea of having different mediums, and not just paint” for a mural, Martin said.

The city is working with McHenry-based Jessup Manufacturing, McHenry High School’s graphic arts department and the owner of the building at 3413 W. Elm St. for a mural on its west wall.

Instead of paint, students Sophie Zieba and Lidia Urquizo are using a computer to design a vinyl wrap for the wall, said Matt Conner, the graphic arts instructor.

“The two seniors will design it using [Adobe] Illustrator and Photoshop,” Conner said. The vinyl wrap made by Jessup is designed to adhere to concrete and brick, Conner said, adding that the mural should last two to five years.

“It is a cool material, and we get to work with a local manufacturer ... and have another chance to work with the city,” he said. The class has also helped create advertisements and signage for the McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes.

The money for that mural is set for the 2025-26 city budget, which has not yet been approved, Martin said. The cost is expected to come in at less than $5,000.

Murals are more than just a “piece of art,” Bremer said. “It is a cool addition to our community and it creates a place to draw people in and spark conversations, making our businesses more inviting.”

As president of the District 156 board, she also sees what the mural project does for students. “They get to apply the skills they are learning in a real-world setting and with a lasting impact on the community.”