“I would like to thank Libby Hatmaker for her thor- ough and professional conservation treatment of the murals, said Mondi. “As always, she went above and beyond in her job and repaired numerous losses not originally identified in the initial proposal. I will always be thankful for the time and care she has devoted to these murals and am grateful for her patience and expertise.” The project was funded in part by the Georgia Muse- um of Art and the estate of Pat Dietz. Many museum staff, including Noelle Shuck, Hillary Brown, Lisa Conley and Ryan Woods, also deserve thanks for their efforts to help with this project, said Mondi. Mondi said that she believed the murals needed signage to explain them to help in their preservation, and credits Lamar Dodd School of Art director Joe Peragine with funding its fabrication and instal- lation. “It is my hope that by understanding the murals a little more, viewers will also help protect them,” said Mondi. Jeff Benjamin, associate vice president of Facilities Management, and his staff were integral to the project. “They were always willing to share their knowledge and experience to find a solution to any challenge,” Mondi said. They inspected the roof, repaired the window in the stairwell, repainted the non-mural areas of the stairwell, installed a new chair rail in the foyer and holdbacks for the stair- well door. They also made sure Hatmaker had access to the site and were eager to provide advice and help with signage installation. In particular, Mondi thanked facilities staff members Lynn Hix, Carol Van Sant, Richard Piotrowski and Joshua Kuyrkendall for their help. While Mondi was initially the project coordinator, Christy Sinksen, the museum’s associate registrar, stepped in after Mondi retired. “I was confident that Christy would adeptly handle the various moving parts to this project with tact and thoroughness and she did so with great success,” said Mondi. “The [work] by Jean Charlot and the accompanying murals done under his advisement are an integral part of the university’s history,” she said. “Their message about the importance of communication is just as pertinent now as it was 80 years ago when the paintings were created. These murals were cre- ated through collaboration and live on because of the good work of many.”
Details of the now restored mural “Communication of the News,” 1943, by Edith Frances Hodgson (American, 1917 – 2002; UGA AB ’38, MFA ’43).
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