Mural commemorates Arma’s first 100 years

July 26, 2009
By Andra Bryan Stefanoni

ARMA, Kan. — Every day for the past two weeks, Arma residents have wandered over to East Washington Street to watch as the history of the town comes to life in a mural on the wall of Chico’s Bar and Grill.

The project began a year ago, on July 21, when Gary and Susan Lofts were on their way home from the dedication of Immigrant Park in Pittsburg. Gary Lofts, a professional artist and art teacher at Arma’s Northeast High School, painted the mural in Immigrant Park depicting early settlers of the area.

“We discussed the need for something similar in Arma to pay tribute to the community’s roots and sacrifices during the early part of the 20th century,” Lofts said last week as he worked from a scaffolding. “We thought it would be a fitting tribute for the 100th birthday of our community, so I approached the City Council with the idea, and they supported us wholeheartedly.”

Lofts wanted to involve his students in the project, so he led his advanced art class through the procedure of learning about marketing, logo and trademark design, and how to develop a finished product. His wife, a history teacher at the school, helped with the research.

Born of the students’ efforts were two images that recently were adopted by the Centennial Committee and the city of Arma as official logos and incorporated into the mural.

Gary Lofts began work in early May on four different renderings to use as the basis for the mural, which covers a brick wall dating to 1907 and overlooks the site of the former Arma Hotel, which was demolished in the 1960s.

He based his sketches on research, historical photos, memories of community members and still-standing historical buildings.

“The area is only 60 feet by about 15 feet tall, so the information had to be narrowed down to just an overview of the way things used to be in the area,” he said.

He is including a miner, a mule used in the mines, a representation of the Missouri Pacific Railroad that operated in the area, the Mine Recovery Station, the local depot, a church, the local veterans memorial, a Model T owned by a local resident, and the school mascot.

Having painted numerous murals throughout the area, Gary Lofts is undaunted by the size and scope of such a project. Rather, he embraces it.

“As a professional artist, I enjoy the challenge of mural art because of the sometimes overwhelming size of the surfaces I have to work with,” he said.

Nor does he mind the steady stream of onlookers as he paints.

“I don’t get nervous — I’m somewhat of a showman,” he said with a grin. “But I can get distracted, so I don’t mind if people are talking to me as long as they can talk to my back.”

Only one man offered any sort of criticism, and that came during the mural’s early stages.

“I threw a paintbrush at him and said, ‘You do it’,” Lofts said. “Seriously, I think people don’t realize that in a mural, you don’t just paint it on in one coat.

“I guess people like it, for the most part,” he said, to which those who had gathered to check his progress replied with applause.

Anyone who does stop by to check the progress will become a part of the mural in a tiny way, Lofts said, because he keeps a notebook of every person’s name, and incorporates each name into textures and inconspicuous places.

The mural is to be dedicated immediately after the 63rd annual Arma Homecoming Parade, which starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8.

Other Gary Lofts murals in the area:

• An exterior mural at Immigrant Park, Pittsburg.
• Three interior murals at Coconuts Tropical Grill, Joplin.
• An exterior mural at Wheat State Pizza, Pittsburg.
• A set of 14 murals at Cafe Del Rio, Pittsburg.
• Numerous paintings at both Cafe Del Rios, Joplin

Scenes from Arma’s past

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