A 3,200-Square-Foot Mural Is Bringing Oneonta’s Story to Life

Oneonta is getting a 3,200-square-foot love letter to itself, one brushstroke at a time.

Professional muralist Yulia Avgustinovich has begun transforming the massive retaining wall behind the city’s new transit hub parking lot into “The Four Seasons of Oneonta,” a colorful celebration of the city’s natural beauty, railroad roots, architecture, agriculture, and cultural heritage.

And when we say massive, we mean it. The new Oneonta mural will stretch across thousands of square feet, turning a once-utilitarian downtown wall into what should become one of the city’s most recognizable pieces of public art.

Four Seasons, One Oneonta

The mural moves through spring, summer, fall, and winter, with each section built around one of the four colors found in the City of Oneonta logo.

But this isn’t just four pretty seasonal landscapes.

Avgustinovich packed the design with details that tell the story of Oneonta and the surrounding Susquehanna Valley.

Look closely and you’ll find familiar local birds, including the eastern bluebird, scarlet tanager, yellow warbler, belted kingfisher, and dark-eyed junco. Apple blossoms, native flowers, farm fields, and other natural elements nod to the region’s agricultural heritage.

The design also incorporates imagery inspired by Haudenosaunee beadwork, connecting the mural to the much deeper cultural history of the region.

Then there are the landmarks.

The historic Swart-Wilcox House, Wilber Mansion, and the former Delaware & Hudson Passenger Station all make appearances.

Basically, this wall is getting the Oneonta greatest-hits treatment.

Railroad History Runs Through It

Oneonta’s railroad heritage provides the thread connecting all four seasons.

Railroad tracks begin the journey in spring. A steam locomotive rolls into summer. The historic D&H Passenger Station appears in fall, followed by the coal tower and a train moving through the winter landscape.

It’s a fitting choice for a city whose growth was shaped so significantly by the Delaware & Hudson Railroad.

“Yulia created an incredibly thoughtful, well-researched, and eye-catching design,” said Emily Falco, chair of the Oneonta Public Arts Commission. “We loved how she incorporated the colors of the city’s logo and showcased elements reflecting Oneonta’s beautiful surroundings and rich history.”

From 28 Artists to One Very Big Wall

Avgustinovich was selected from 28 applicants by the City of Oneonta Public Arts Commission.

Five finalists were invited to develop proposals for the project, with each receiving $200 for their design work. Avgustinovich will receive $20,000 for the completed mural, including project expenses.

The commission was created six years ago to help bring more public art into the city. Its previous projects include a mural by Oneonta artist James McIlroy on the former Ford Building.

The new mural also arrives as Oneonta continues making improvements around the Market Street corridor and its new transit hub.

“Oneonta is known as a vibrant arts city, and we are thrilled to add Yulia’s artwork to Market Street and highlight the improvements along that corridor,” said City Administrator Greg Mattice.

For Mattice, public art is more than decoration.

“The city fully supports the arts as part of a healthy economy,” he said.

We’re with him on that one.

Public art gives people a reason to look around, wander a little farther, take a photo, discover a business they hadn’t noticed before, and remember a place after they leave.

A 3,200-square-foot wall certainly doesn’t hurt.

Meet the Artist Behind the Mural

Avgustinovich brings more than two decades of experience to the project, with formal training in classical painting, public art, and monumental art.

Born in Belarus and now based in the Washington, D.C., region, she has created murals around the country, including projects in Boise, Idaho; Aurora and Ridgway, Colorado; Batesville, Indiana; and Washington, D.C.

Her work frequently draws inspiration from nature, history, and the character of the communities where she paints, making Oneonta a pretty natural fit.

The mural is expected to take about three weeks to complete.

See the Finished Mural During City of the Hills Festival

Oneonta plans to celebrate the finished mural during the City of the Hills Festival on Saturday, September 19, with a special event from 5 to 7 p.m. at the mural site.

And that makes for a pretty good excuse to make a day of it.

The City of the Hills Festival returns to downtown Oneonta September 19 and 20 with live music, performances, artists and makers, workshops, children’s activities, food, a downtown art walk, and plenty more happening throughout Main Street.

Come for the festival. Wander downtown. Grab something to eat. Then go see what happens when someone turns more than 3,000 square feet of concrete into Oneonta history.