Scenes of the borough and surrounding area in large shadowboxes may be included in an ambitious plan to repair and beautify an outdoor wall on the side of The Lamp Theatre in downtown Irwin.
“We want to enhance the building, so that it makes a pleasing view,” on the wall adjacent to S&T Bank, said John Gdula, president of The Lamp Theatre Corp.
Currently covered by wood panels and siding, the wall needs to be repaired, and not only for aesthetic reasons.
“We’re losing too much energy,” Gdula said. There are voids in the wall that should be insulated.
A stucco-like building material, similar to what was used on the front of the building, could be put on the exterior, below any artwork, said Lucien Bove, an engineer and Lamp Theatre board member. Colored pigment or stencil work could be added to that stucco-like material, Bove said.
Placing new bricks along the entire length of the building would be too costly, Gdula said.
Prior to the pandemic, the board received a rough estimate that the project could cost about $70,000, Gdula said. They have not received an updated expense estimate.
If any artwork were to be added to the outside of the building, Irwin officials would have to determine whether a sign permit would be necessary, said borough manager Shari Martino.
In order for those passing by the wall to see the artwork, Gdula said they have discussed the possibility of creating shadowboxes eight feet by four feet in size, but that would depend on how the art would look if expanded to that larger size. The Lamp board discussed the possibility of illuminating art with LED technology powered by solar energy, Gdula said.
“We could go to a greener Lamp building,” Gdula said.
The artist interested in the project, Greg Gongaware, 49, a Larimer native, said he envisions designing glass panels that are part of a lantern, with each panel illustrated with a different scene, some of downtown Irwin and some of the theatre. They would be inside the large shadowboxes that are back lit, said Gongaware, a 1991 Norwin High School graduate who focuses on American history and the Civil War.
An accomplished artist, he has been a National Park Service vendor who has illustrated, designed and developed products for 125 National Park sites that are sold in park service gift shops and museums. Gongaware honed his art skills as a student at the former Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where he graduated in 1996.
“It’s so much of an honor to be part of the project at my hometown,” said Gongaware, who operates the Historic Animation Station.
The first in what is expected to be many fundraisers for the project is a golf outing planned for Oct. 18 at Greensburg Country Club along Route 130 in Hempfield. Registration will be 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon.
Response to the initial “Golftoberfest outing” has been good, said Andi Cartwright, theatre manager. Golfers will pay $130 per person and $500 per foursome. The 18-hole outing will be capped at 100 participants.
The donation covers lunch at registration and a catered meal at the conclusion of the event. Players will get a certificate to return to play golf at any date.
For more information, contact Cartwright at lampgolftober@gmail.com, or 412-367-4000.
The Lamp also will seek grants for the project, Gdula said.