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A River Runs Through It

What do you do with a dull, drab floodwall behind your building? Commission LowerTown artists to paint it, of course! That’s exactly what Ingram Barge executives did earlier this year. They invited artists to hop aboard with their paints, brushes and scaffolding and transform the 800-foot-long floodwall behind their new 1000 South 3rd St. building into a gorgeous tribute to the Tennessee River.

Artists Char Downs, Lady Van Tiger, Teresa Perry and Keyth Kahrs answered the invitation and were selected to take on the project. They’ve dubbed themselves 3 Plus 1 – for their three women and one man team – and together have created the longest commissioned continuous riverscape in the United States.

Char Downs works in many different media with paintings both figurative and abstract. She moved to Paducah from San Francisco.

The artists will unveil their marine masterpiece during a public reception, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., on Saturday, October 27. Mayor Bill Paxton and Ingram Barge execs will be on hand for the celebration. Everyone is invited to stop by and admire the work.

To create the riverscape of colorful boats, barges and wildlife, the artists divided the wall into 10 or so panels apiece, varying from 15-22 feet in length and at heights as tall as almost 10 feet. While the river was the overall theme, the trick was to make a seamless transition between their various styles.

Tucson, Arizona transplant Keyth Kahrs enjoys painting landscapes, figure studies and outdoor wildlife.

They solved that challenge by segmenting the mural into seasons. Kahrs’ panels depict the river during the summer, Van Tiger took care of autumn, Downs settled in with winter and Perry finished the mural by taking it into spring.

“The best part was seeing it evolve month by month,” says Downs, noting that the artists often checked in with one another during the process.

A newcomer from Hawaii, Lady Van Tiger paints a variety of subjects using a variety of mediums.

“I loved seeing each artist’s different slant on things,” Van Tiger says. “The unifying factor was the river, but it was fun to see how someone else sees the river.”

The artists began the project on April 17, spending the first week caulking hundreds and hundreds of tiny – and some not so tiny – holes, and then got down to business.

Due to the excessive heat of the summer months, painting was restricted to the early mornings and late afternoons. That’s because if the artists dipped their brushes at mid-day, the paint would dry before they could even get it on the walls!

The artists developed quite a fan club over the months as boat crews came and went, often stopping to see the latest additions. “Some of the guys would call their families and say, ‘You’ve got to come see this,’” Downs says. “It was nice to see their reactions.”

Paducah native Teresa Perry specializes in painting using Christian symbolism.

So, was taking on such a huge project a tad overwhelming? “Not at first, because you can think about doing something a lot more quickly than you can actually do it,” Perry says. “About halfway through I think everyone realized how big the project actually was.”

The artists have certainly left a big mark – and a lasting impression – on Paducah through this six-months-plus project. They say they’re thrilled with the result. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to do this,” Kahrs says. “There will be part of me on this wall for years to come.”

Van Tiger agrees. “This is a memory of a lifetime,” she says. “My son even came out to help a bit, so now I feel like my children will be connected to this city for generations.”

For Perry, the experience was very personal. “My family is made up of river people,” she says. “My grandfather was a steamboat captain and my dad and brother are riverboat captains. So it’s a lifetime of things coming together.”

Downs says she’s just happy to return a favor to her new hometown: “I’m thrilled to be part of the history of this city, which has given so much to me,” Downs says. “Now I can give back.”