Support growing for two murals on Robin Hood Elevator

City Commissioners gave their preliminary backing Monday to a plan for artist Rick Sinnett to paint two giant murals on the Robin Hood Elevator in downtown Ponca City.

Ponca City Main Street is spearheading the project, which would cost an estimated $100,000.

Main Street Director Chelsea McConnell and board members presented a budget break-down showing where contributions to the project have been lined up.

Sinnett’s art has been featured in other cities and has been a draw for tourists. His projects include Enid’s Butterfly mural and a mural on Oklahoma City’s rock climbing gym. Main Street hopes a large work on the historic elevator could be a draw for tourists in  Ponca City as well.

The project would include a base coat painting of the entire elevator in colors specially selected to be resistant to solar fading.

The owner of the property, David Hall Jr., has agreed to the painting of the grain elevator and the public art project.

The Ponca City Milling Company elevator is in the process of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been approved by the State Historic Preservation Office and the application is pending with the Keeper of the Registrar in Washington, D.C.

The proposed murals include The Butterfly Mondela (above) on the west side, and The Oklahoma Sunset (below) for the east side.

At present, the proposed funding includes:

• $20,000 from John McNeese
• $20,000 from Community Partners
• $5,000 from Ponca City Main Street
• $5,000 from Ponca City Tourism
• $1,000 from Ponca City Arts & Humanities Council
• $49,000 from the City of Ponca City

All copyrights to the artwork, sketches, concepts and final artwork will be the property of the City of Ponca City.