AMT @ Boone, NC
  
Enjoy your mural trail Experience!   Have a "Transformational Moment" when you take your selfie in front of a historic Mural and share your experience on the Selfie Page.

New Deal WPA Post Office Mural
"Daniel Boone on a Hunting Trip"
Boone, NC

Exit BR Parkway MilePost: 294
  Close-Up
  ARTIST: Alan Tompkins(1907-2007)
Trail Member/Sponsor: Downtown Boone Development Association

Mural Description

    Inside the historic downtown Boone Post Office, the mural "Daniel Boone on a Hunting Trip" by the noted muralists, Alan Tompkins, depicts the town s famous namesake with locals who gaze with keen anticipation from the frontier to the wilderness. The mural was commissioned by the Federal Arts Project program in 1940 as a part of the New Deal Art movement. Through this program, art was chosen for a Post Office in each state through anonymous competitions sponsored by the Treasury Department. For the Boone Post Office, 1,475 designs were submitted and the average commission was $725. Life magazine published each state's winning mural with Boone representing the state of North Carolina. Recently restored in 2014 by David Goist, the mural is a source of pride for the town as it is the only surviving New Deal mural in northwest North Carolina.

Artist Bio

    Alan Tompkins(1907-2007) a prolific artist, he continued to paint into his 100th year and strongly desired one thing: to be remembered for his art. "I'm not a hobbyist, I'm not an educator," said Tompkins. "I want to be remembered as a painter."

    Tompkins produced thousands of paintings, many showing the influence of Cubism and abstract art, during a long and productive career.

    Tompkins played a pivotal role in the formation of the University of Hartford. He was director of the Hartford Art School in 1957 when it merged with the original Hillyer College and the Hartt College of Music to become the University of Hartford. He served as director until 1969 and then taught art history. Tompkins exhibited his paintings at the University of Hartford's Silpe Gallery to celebrate his 100th birthday, the Hartford Art School's 130th anniversary and the University of Hartford's 50th anniversary. Many of these works had been completed during the last 20 years, a sign of his continued passion for painting.

    Tompkins was born in New Rochelle, NY, in 1907. He graduated from Columbia University in 1929; he graduated with a second degree in 1933 from the Yale Art School, where he studied mural painting. Alan taught at the John Herron Art School, Cooper Union and Columbia. He worked as a book illustrator and industrial designer. During the Depression years he won four national art competitions that resulted in commissions from the Works Progress Administration to create public works of art. The murals that he painted in those years can still be seen in post offices in North Carolina and Indiana.

    Tompkins described the role of the painter in a book about his work, Alan Tompkins Painter, by Linda Powers Tomasso: "The world passes before my eyes. I grope for meanings, importances that can be expressed in art. Sometimes the meanings have only a graphic life, not a verbal life. That's okay - they do not need a verbal life - a verbal existence. Let them come, these revelations, as they will. But - capture them! That is the function of the painter."



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     AMT @ Boone, NC

Visitor
Comments


    comment by: Gloria
Love, love, love ❤ all the art we saw and experienced while in Asheville!!Laura

    comment by: Lois
Brilliant way to allow visitors to enjoy the sites and sounds that Asheville has to offer.

    comment by: Rebecca&Susan
We just loved all of the murals in Asheville! Asheville is a fun vibrant interesting town!

    comment by: Catherine Wilson
    (Asheville, NC)

As a member of Carolina Street Mural group, I learned about The Appalachian Mural Trail! After reviewing your web page. I planned my road trips to locate the trail murals, reflect on them and photograph memories of my trip!

    comment by: Tammy Compton
    (Fort Myers, Florida)

Love it! We went looking to take selfies with 3 and found over 20 murals!

    comment by: Angie Trapp
    (Concord, NC)

Beautiful mural in Sparta, one of my favorite places! 😊❤️

    comment by: Debra
    (Falls Church City, VA)

Doreyl,
Thanks for letting me know! What a great project!
It added cool stops to my visit and I love seeing art and the artist was around that day to meet.


    comment by: Cristy (Mountain City, TN)
We have been getting much more traffic around our murals, and a lot of it is due to the publicity from your organization!
Thank you!
We will unveil our newest (and largest) mural on September 4th.


    comment by: Cindy Hedrick Day
It's beautiful! Thank you!!!!
Awesome! You made my day! Love love love it!.
I saw the email re the Mural Trail special in process of being made. Can't wait to see it. We are working to finish our projects, exhibit changes, etc. Who knew it would take so long! But, it's soon finished!!!
Looking forward to seeing this!
Thank you again!!!


    comment by: Marcie Toomey
This is our second visit to Holy Trinity.. we always leave blessed and humbled ❤️

    comment by: Chelsea
Thank you so much for the quick response! I received my shirt and thoroughly enjoyed the trail! Thank you for all of the hard work put into this project!

    comment by: Debbie Dillion
Just came across your website and it is great! I plan to look for these murals in my travels. A phone app would be awesome.

    comment by: Carol
Lincolnton, NC, is loaded with murals! And I love them all!

    comment by: Barry & Cindy Beaulieu
we got to see the Fresco in W. Jefferson NC and is amazing ... we were on our two wheeler the Voyager... nature declares there is a God... everywhere you look... thanking ya'll so very very much...

    comment by: Vickie Sealock
    (Welcome Center Manager)

I love what you folks are doing. Several years ago we went to Exeter California to see their Mural trail. We spent hours in this little town looking at the murals and trying to find the hidden objects in each. We talked with the towns people, had lunch, shopped in the shops. I love the mural trails, and yours is going to be one of the best. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

    comment by: Liz
Art is everywhere in Asheville! This gorgeous mural of Dolly Parton by Gus Cutty is the newest mural you'll see in town. Gus created the mural with spray paint in 3 days. See it for yourself at Beauty Parade on Haywood Rd in West Asheville.

    comment by: Karen
Roanoke murals are awesome to see... love the mural with girl floating in air... the poetry one was neat!

    comment by: Big Tom
This is great mural art, will be remembered a long time...

    comment by: Bob
This is very expansive mural, covers many walls inside the cradle building. Beautiful art mural, a must see!

    comment by: Dolly
Love the big murals!!!

    comment by: Lisa Patten
I love the mural trail. It's like seeing a gift at Christmas!

    comment by: Ann Barbare
Beautiful mural of Maggie Valley

    comment by: Jennifer
Love your mural artwork! The local references, the depiction of marvelous, beautiful, and colorful nature - landscapes, birds, animals, butterflies, and glorious flowers - invites close study and is very engaging!

    comment by: Carol
Looks like progress being made! Can't wait to see the mural at Joeys.

    comment by: anonymous
Can't wait to see this beautiful mural art in person at Joey's Pancake House

    comment by: Amy
I love your little sneak-a-peek view. Need more...

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     AMT @ Boone, NC




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