Painting rediscovered behind wall after being covered for decades Conservator working to remove mural, place it in new home Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WERE SHOCKED TO FIND THIS MURAL HIDDEN AWAY BEHIND DRY WALL HERE AT U-V-M... NOW WORK IS UNDERWAY TO GET IT TO A NEW HOME. EMILY PHILLIPS, PAINTING CONSERVATOR "THIS REALLY REQUIRES A VERY METHODICAL, WELL THOUGHT-OUT, CONTROLLED REMOVAL." PEELING BACK A LAYER OF BURLINGTON'S HISTORY.HIDDE N BEHIND A WALL FOR DECADES. DEVIN COLMAN, STATE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN "I HAD HEARD THAT MURAL'S HAD BEEN DONE AT UVM BUT COULD NEVER FIND THEM." NO ONE COULD... UNTIL A CONSTRUCTION CREW GETTING READY TO KNOCK OUT THIS WALL ON U-V-M'S CAMPUS. SAW SOMETHING THROUGH THE PLASTER... JENNIFER KARSON, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES, DEPARTMENT OF ART AND ART HISTORY "THROUGH A SMALL HOLE, THEY SAW THE PAINTING AND KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL BEHIND THERE." THE MURAL OF THE CHAMPLAIN OVER THRUST, PAINTED BY BURLINGTON'S OWN RAYMOND PEACE, WAS COMMISSIONED AS PART OF THE NEW-DEAL PROGRAM IN THE EARLY 1930'S. DEVIN COLMAN, STATE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN "THEY CAME UP WITH THE NOTION THAT, INSTEAD OF PAYING ARTISTS TO WORK ON A ROAD CREW OR DIGGING DITCHES, WHY NOT PAY ARTISTS TO MAKE ART.' NAT OF 1992 VIDEO NBC-5 CAMERA'S WERE THERE WHEN THE PAINTING WAS COVERED UP IN 1992... NAT OF BRUSH EMILY PHILLIPS, PAINTING CONSERVATOR "THIS IS AN OIL PAINTING ON CANVAS THAT'S BEEN ADHERED TO THE WALL WITH AN UNKNOWN ADHESIVE." NOW, 25 YEARS LATER, EMILY PHILIPS IS WORKING TO GET IT OFF THE WALL AND TO IT'S NEW HOME ACROSS CAMPUS. EMILY PHILLIPS, PAINTING CONSERVATOR "KIND OF ROLLING IT OFF LIKE A SCROLL SO USING A MECHANICAL SPATULA TO BREAK UP THE ADHESIVE BOND." IT TAKES HER CAREFUL PRECISION AND ATTENTION TO ADHESIVE BOND." IT TAKES HER CAREFUL PRECISION AND ATTENTION TO EVERY INCH TO PREPARE THE PIECE FOR IT'S FIRST PUBLIC VIEWING IN A GENERATION. EMILY PHILLIPS, PAINTING CONSERVATOR "I REALLY TREASURE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND RESPECT THE ARTIST AND HIS MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE." THE PAINTING WILL BE SEPARATED WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THE WALL ON THURSDAY. THE UNIVERSITY HOPES TO HAVE IT AVAILABLE FOR PUIC VIEWING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. LIVE IN BURLINGTON, ROSS KETSCHKE NBC 5 NEWS. - UP NEXT: A HEAD

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