Pella's 'Happy Days' mural connects community through art
Jun. 8—PELLA — With the help of local artists, historians and volunteers, a local nonprofit group continues to "build a beautiful Pella" by connecting people through public art.
The Spirit of Pella unveiled a new mural, named "Happy Days," with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday. The mural is located at The Brew Coffee House in the community's historic downtown district.
The mural, adorned with geometric and floral patterns in pops of red, yellow, blue, green and white on a black background, was designed by Pella native Hannah Heschke and inspired by Dutch folk art painting. The larger-than-life stipwerk, or dotwork, is traditionally done with the heads of different sized nails dipped in paint and pressed onto fabric.
"I've been so inspired by Dutch heritage and all the things that came with researching and learning about dotwork, or stipwerk, painting — about understanding the patterns and colors that go into that, and just being able to make a larger-than-life version of it," Heschke said.
Heschke collaborated with Milly Vande Kieft, resident Dutch expert and local artist. Vande Kieft has been teaching stipwerk to the community for decades.
"This folk art has led for many years of my teaching Staphorst nailhead painting classes for many groups of all ages, including the Kerstmarkt and painting Staphorst items for the Pella Historical [Museums] gift shop," Vande Kieft said.
Vande Kieft's connection to the artform runs deep. Her mother was born in a village close to Staphorst, where stipwerk first originated in the province of Overijssel, the Netherlands. Stipwerk was used only on the villagers' caps, bodices and traditional dress, and is done on a black background with "happy" colors — red, blue, yellow, green and white — often in floral or geometric patterns.
"One is not to be a Van Gogh or a Rembrandt, so mixing colors is not allowed," Vande Kieft says. "One of the joys of this art is that very few supplies are needed. It's easy, relaxing, quite inexpensive, or should I say 'Dutch frugal.'"
More than two dozen community members were present, including councilman Mark De Jong. Christi Vande Voort, Spirit of Pella Steering Committee advisor, says a plaque will be installed at a later date that will include more information about Heschke and the history of stipwerk.
Ryan Vos, Spirit of Pella Arts and Mural Committee chair, says the mural is a continuation of the vision Pella's founder, Dominie Henry P. Scholte, created when he established the community 175 years ago: to "build a beautiful Pella."
"Our version of a beautiful Pella can be seen through art," he says. "It is our next generation of Pella telling Pella's story. It's bringing that story larger than life."
The Spirit of Pella's mission is to connect people in the community through beautiful art, public spaces and events — and "Happy Days" is just the start.
Emily Hawk is the associate editor of the Ottumwa Courier and the Oskaloosa Herald. She can be reached at ehawk@oskyherald.com.
