Butler Rotary unveils finished glass mosaic for Penn Theater
The Penn Theater on Butler’s Main Street gained a new addition on Friday night, Aug. 21, when the Butler Rotary Club PM unveiled the finished version of a community-made glass mosaic which is now permanently affixed to the side of the building.
The unveiling took place during a special ceremony held outside the theater Friday night.
“I think (people are) going to be wowed and awed (when they see it for the first time) because of the colors, the detail and the history,” said Connie Rosellini, board president for the Penn Theater. “This mosaic is so beautiful and a lot of helping hands got together to do it and it also enhances the Penn Theater.”
“I think the Penn Theater is becoming a cornerstone of our community and this mosaic actually represents all that makes our wonderful community so spectacular,” said Jaloyn Fockler, executive director for the Penn Theater.
Work on the mosaic project started during the Steeples & Stacks Heritage Weekend held July 10-11, and was led by Nebraska-based glass artist Carrie Ann Strope.
The mosaic itself consists of five panels which were worked on separately before being reassembled.
The finished artwork incorporates many aspects of the history of the City of Butler and Butler County, depicting items such as an oil derrick representing the “oil boom” era of rural Butler County in the 19th Century, a steel ladle, a railroad car representing the Pullman works, rubber ducks representing a Jeep Festival tradition and a reel of film representing the Penn Theater itself.
According to Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche, members of the Rotary club were actively involved in the design process.
“We all talked at a meeting and everybody shared their ideas,” Osche said. “All the Rotarians shared ideas for what should be included on here. The design concept was shared by rotary, then shared with Carrie and then Carrie made the design come to life.”
Osche estimates that somewhere between 150 and 200 people contributed to the making of the actual mosaic, which took from the start of Steeples and Stacks through a “grouting party” held July 14, in which volunteers were invited to help finish the mosaic by applying grout.
“This mosaic is made-up of many individual pieces, each one contributing to something larger,” said Rotary Club member and local businessman Dennis Baglier. “In many ways, it's also the story of downtown Butler. It takes residents, businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, community leaders and people who simply believe in the city working together to make progress possible.”
Strope, who hails from Lincoln, Neb., could not be present for the unveiling, as she has already moved onto another project.
The chief sponsor for the mosaic project was Belleville International, a manufacturer of steel washers and springs located on East Cunningham Street in Butler. Belleville’s products are represented on the mosaic itself, through the four circular shapes under the oil derrick.
“All those circles represent Belleville’s industrial washers,” Osche said.
Due to a personal commitment, Belleville International president Ralph Hardt could not attend. However, he contributed a written statement which was read aloud by Jordan Grady, president of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.
“Strong communities do not happen by accident,” Hardt wrote. “Instead, they are the result of individuals, government, volunteers, businesses, all working together to create something special, something that we should all desire.”
Additional funds for the mosaic project came from a grant from Pennsylvania Creative Industries.
A second dedication event for the mosaic is scheduled for Sept. 26 and will be held inside the Penn Theater.
The unveiling took place during the last of the four Foodie Friday events held along Butler’s Main Street this summer.
