Rock Island Artist William Gustafson Picked to Paint New Mural for Bettendorf
The Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO) Monday announced that Rock Island artist William Gustafson has been chosen to paint a new downtown Bettendorf mural on the west-facing wall at 312 17th St., across from City Hall.
Titled “Arches,” the concept of the mural is to show the viewer Quad Cities-specific time periods through the arches. Gustafson will paint the mural this month with an unveiling planned in early July.
“I created the mural to span time from the past industrial age: the Bettendorf brothers revolutionizing the train wheel, the innovative Velie Monocoupe, the steel industry, old steam boats on the river, and two life-sized industry workers, Gustafson said.
“The center arch includes the current Waterfront Convention Center and Isle Casino, to the Celebration Belle, to a one-wheel rider and young girl life size in the foreground, and a jet streaming across the sky to hold the viewers eye into the future with the new I-74 bridge spanning the present day to lead you into the future with a solar car and personal drone flying in above. An eagle holds the viewer’s eye life-size as the shadow from early morning light cast across all time,” said Gustafson.
Gustafson’s Rock Island mural is off 17th Street and 3rd Avenue (photo by Jonathan Turner).
“On behalf of the Downtown Bettendorf Organization’s board of directors and the property owner, we are excited to select William Gustafson for this mural. It will be a highly visible location welcoming people into Downtown Bettendorf,” DBO executive director Ryan Jantzi said in a Monday release.
Quad City Arts was contracted by DBO to facilitate this transformative art project, as it has similarly done in downtown Moline and Rock Island.
“Seeing our communities invest in public art makes us excited for the future of the Quad Cities,” said Ben Gougeon, Quad City Arts’ director of community engagement. “When organizations like the Downtown Bettendorf Organization lead the way in promoting public placemaking initiatives, it helps lift not only Downtown Bettendorf, but all Quad Citizens. Study after study shows the effect public art has on an area’s livability, both in terms of the enhancement of quality of life and the economic impact on a region.”
“We’re thrilled the selection committee chose to feature Bill Gustafson, a local artist with a long history of signature pieces in the Quad Cities. His work is part of the fabric of the area, and will continue to inspire into the future his mural so hopefully depicts,” said Gougeon.
Gustafson’s Moline mural is in the Historic Block Courtyard, off River Drive just east of 15th Street (photo by Jonathan Turner).
Gustafson, 62, is a lifelong resident of Rock Island, a husband and a proud father of three young children. Gustafson graduated from SIU-Carbondale with a bachelor’s in advertising and illustration. He also received an art teaching certificate from the University of Iowa, and a master’s in instructional technology from WIU-Macomb.
“I was honored to be selected from an entire region of artists,” he said Monday by email. “I enjoy the challenge of creating large paintings and developing a story or illustration of an idea. I’ve painted other large murals that include history. The train mural in downtown Rock Island (referring to the first bridge across the Mississippi) and The City of Mills in downtown Moline of John Deere and his partner- standing in front of Deere’s first factory and mill.
The concept design for Bill Gustafson’s downtown Bettendorf mural, which will go on a building on 17th Street, across from City Hall.
“This Bettendorf has past- present-future looking thru the arches. The biggest challenge will be completing it in about three weeks,” Gustafson added. “The city would like to have it done by the 4th of July.”
To see more of Gustafson’s art, visit his website HERE.
William Gustafson is a 62-year-old artist and lifelong resident of Rock Island.
