Murals and Public Art
Unlike the one above, the murals and commissioned Public Art paintings I design are usually painted in acrylics on either canvas or wood, mostly for (but not limited to) interior settings.
After extensive consultation with the client, I usually produce these artworks entirely in my studio. In many cases, this means that the larger ones need to be modular in nature, easily coming apart for transportation and reassembly on site. From the initial concept, the mural design progresses through black and white and color stages. As the client signs off on each stage, they are invited to visit my studio and assess my progress. By producing the artworks in my studio, I’m able to create optimum working conditions for myself, cut down on transportation time, and stay out of the client’s way until installation. My artworks are built, painted and varnished for longevity, and usually need no maintenance besides an occasional dusting. |
“Gordon put in over 1,000 hours in this mural, and the whole town felt it was worth every penny of the price he quoted us. It is absolutely beautiful!!! Everyone is so proud of it. There isn’t anyone in this town who wouldn’t recommend Gordon Carlisle as a muralist. He’s the best!” Patricia J. Francoeur, Somersworth Main Streets Committee November, 2008 |

"Together, We'll Do It" - Skowhegan, ME 2022
This is one of three murals commissioned in 2021 by the Wesserunsett Arts Council of Skowhegan, Maine. The Request for Proposal indicated their interest in depictions of local history, including log drives along the Kennebec River. That's what initially piqued my interest, and my mural grew conceptually from there. To offset all these men battling it out on the river, I felt I needed to depict a local victory for women. Their 1907 settlement with Marston Mills was just that, the culmination of years of struggle against hostile management. The women picketed outside the mill, sometimes in sub-zero temperatures, to achieve their goal of fair working conditions. The third panel is more aspirational in nature. It imagines a cleaned up Kennebec River, where the anadromous fish are once again able to swim upriver and spawn they way they'd done for millennia. That will take work, too, to achieve that goal, but "Together, We'll Do It." Click here to see a brief video interview with me during the installation.
This is one of three murals commissioned in 2021 by the Wesserunsett Arts Council of Skowhegan, Maine. The Request for Proposal indicated their interest in depictions of local history, including log drives along the Kennebec River. That's what initially piqued my interest, and my mural grew conceptually from there. To offset all these men battling it out on the river, I felt I needed to depict a local victory for women. Their 1907 settlement with Marston Mills was just that, the culmination of years of struggle against hostile management. The women picketed outside the mill, sometimes in sub-zero temperatures, to achieve their goal of fair working conditions. The third panel is more aspirational in nature. It imagines a cleaned up Kennebec River, where the anadromous fish are once again able to swim upriver and spawn they way they'd done for millennia. That will take work, too, to achieve that goal, but "Together, We'll Do It." Click here to see a brief video interview with me during the installation.
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“It is without hesitation that I, who had daily contact with him throughout the mural’s creation, would recommend Gordon for any form of mural work or community arts project. We sought a mural that residents would gaze upon and simply utter ‘Whoa!’ and, through Gordon’s tireless effort, that goal was undoubtedly obtained.”
Darryl Cauchon, Executive Director, Somersworth Main Street Program November 2008 |
“Gordon recently completed a large, beautiful hallway mural for our Hospital… Gordon is a delight to work with. He helpfully and sensitively captured and portrayed our thoughts and expressions and gave us a piece that will impact our staff, patients and families for many years to come.”
-Jud Knox, CEO, York Hospital, York, ME |