The entrance to the Oxner Park Zoo got a major aesthetic boost from a local artist over the weekend.
Marie Homolkova Michalek, from the Czech Republic, who lives in Baraboo, painted a mural depicting the zoo’s 16 animals on two wooden boards that flank the entrance to the facility on October 20. . Khomorkova Michalek and her husband Pavel Michalek, along with other zoo volunteers, helped set it up.
“It’s really cool to be able to use my talent to support zoos and find people interesting and share it with everyone” is a local non-profit that raises funds to support the Oxner Park Zoo. .
Amber Giddings, president of Friends of the Baraboo Zoo, said the mural adds a unique and unforgettable element to the facility. She explained that the docent program is a volunteer program where people use their powerful skills to benefit the zoo.
People are also reading…
“I think what this adds is the feeling that we’re trying to create,” Giddings said. Even if you don’t go back to the zoo in 10 years, you’ll still remember it. ”
The new entrance mural was inspired by the different animals on display at the zoo. Homolkova-Michalek and another area her artist agreed with her mural idea, and she began work on her project in July. She said she had to allocate hours to work nights and weekends away from her full-time job as a trainer for a mortgage company, and the mural took about two months to complete.
“I would go and work whenever I had time,” said Homolkova-Michalek, who also thanked volunteers and city residents Pam and Ron Cowen. their garage.
The Cowens also helped her install the mural, which she said was “a big part of this project.” Giddings said the Cowens painted a set of different-sized bears at the zoo so that visitors could compare their size to themselves.
Animals depicted on the murals include an Asian black bear, a Mexican gray wolf, an arctic fox, a snowy owl, a llama, and a ball python snake.
Giddings said of the Homolkova-Michalek artwork: “This takes a lot of time, effort and talent. When we started talking about this, there was a photo the city saw for her pre-COVID entrance. increase.”
Homolkova-Michalek was inspired to create the mural after hearing conversations about the aesthetics of the zoo’s entrance, Giddings added.
“I don’t think you could ask for anything more beautiful,” said Giddings.
Homolkova-Michalek and Giddings later discussed creating another mural in another area of the zoo.
