Jenna Jaffrey Paints Red Oak's History in Four Days

Jenna Jaffrey completed a new downtown mural in Red Oak, Iowa in four days, plus one day of wall preparation. The Valley, Nebraska artist, who painted the mural on the FiveOne8 building last year, finished work on the back of the NAPA store at 200 E. Reed St. in October. The mural is titled "A Walk Through Red Oak's History."

Jaffrey said the Red Oak Arts Destination group invited her to apply at the beginning of the year. "The process was similar to last year, with artists submitting a concept and budget for consideration, and I was chosen," she said. After a successful first project in the town, she welcomed the return. "I really enjoyed my time working on last year's mural. Beyond the project itself, I met so many wonderful people who made returning to Red Oak an easy decision for me," Jaffrey commented.

What does the mural depict?

The design process ran longer than the first project and involved collaboration. "After my initial concept was accepted, NAPA, ROAD, and I collectively agreed it wasn't the best fit for the space. After further conversations with ROAD member Jim Hoskinson, we developed the eventual design. Everyone felt it was a stronger representation of Red Oak and its history," Jaffrey stated.

The finished mural features:

• the historic and current American flags
• four portraits of individuals with ties to Red Oak and the surrounding area
• the SS Red Oak Victory
• a QR code, to be installed alongside the mural, linking to information on each figure

The portraits carry the town's story. "The first portrait, located on the door, is Not-Chi-Mi-Ne, an Ioway tribal chief. Next is Alfred Hebard, who served in Iowa's first General Assembly and purchased land in Montgomery County where Red Oak was later established. W. W. Merritt was a state representative, educator, clergyman, and abolitionist who helped shape civic life in southwestern Iowa. Iphigemia McElhiney was a nurse during the Spanish Flu pandemic who reportedly had zero patient deaths under her care," Jaffrey said.

The ship has its own weight of history. "The SS Red Oak Victory was built in 1944 and named in recognition of Red Oak's significant losses during World War II," Jaffrey said. Not-Chi-Mi-Ne signed the last two treaties with the Government before leaving southwest Iowa and wears the Presidential Peace medal; the hand-colored lithograph re-created on the mural came from the Smithsonian.

How was it painted?

Jaffrey changed her technique for this project. She previously projected designs onto walls at night to create initial outlines. "After completing the FiveOne8 mural, I discovered other muralists were using VR headsets for this process. I gave it a try and haven't looked back. It's now my preferred method because of its flexibility and efficiency," she stated. This year's design also felt closer to her studio work, which made the painting process more natural.

The south-facing wall brought sun exposure. "October worked best for my schedule, and I figured the temperatures would be more manageable. Surprisingly, the average temperatures were similar to last year's project," Jaffrey commented. "We drank plenty of water and set up a shade tarp during the two hottest days. Never underestimate a south-facing wall, that sun will still get you."

Two assistants made the speed possible. Tomas, who also helped last year, unloads, sketches and blocks in base colors. Eduardo, an artist with his own studio practice, joins midway for detailed painting. "The three of us have worked on several murals together and developed a rhythm that can take months, sometimes years, to establish. We completed this mural in four days, plus one day of wall preparation," Jaffrey said.

What does this change for the artist and the town?

The project pushes Jaffrey's total murals to around twenty, ranging in scale, style and concept. Her largest is in Council Bluffs, a roughly 450-foot stretch of a nine-foot fence totaling more than 3,000 square feet. The FiveOne8 mural was her second largest.

The audience shifted with the subject. "The first mural drew more families and children, while this one brought more veterans who stopped to share their stories. I'm not entirely sure how that happens, but it's interesting to see how different pieces resonate with different people," Jaffrey stated.

Her path to art began with injury. A torn ACL as a kid, followed by six ACL surgeries, benched her from sports and led to a high school art class in her sophomore year. "It was game over," she said. She painted sports-related subjects early on, drawn to Leroy Neiman's loud, colorful impressionist sports and horse racing work.

Jaffrey may not return for a third wall. "As much as I'd love to paint every wall ROAD has to offer, I think it's important for other artists to experience Red Oak, just as it's important for the community to experience different artists and their visions," she stated. "I'm always happy to support what ROAD is building, whether I'm the one holding the paintbrush or not."

She credits the community for the work's meaning. "What I love most about murals is that they become part of people's everyday lives. You don't have to visit a gallery or know anything about art to experience them," Jaffrey stated. With a QR code still to be installed and ROAD opening future walls to new artists, Red Oak's public art program now has both a documented past and a planned succession.