WHERE THE CROW LIGHTS

John Pugh is a world-renowned artist whose more than 250 enormous trompe l’oeil murals have been captivating people from New York to New Zealand for more than three decades. His highly sought after work fetches six figures, but now, thanks to the generosity of the artist, Ashland has the opportunity to be home to a Pugh mural for the cost of creation. 

John fell in love with Ashland as a child, and three years ago the dream of living here finally came true. Now he has designed a mural for the city he has chosen to make his home, both to honor its roots and to bring Ashland a culturally significant public artwork for our community to enjoy for years to come. 

The project budget of $250,000 will include all labor, materials, studio expenses, scaffolding, and general liability insurance. This project will be fabricated and mostly painted in the studio, with about 30% of the process saved for the on-location installation and integration. This mural is expected to have a 100 year life, thanks to the technique and materials John employs.

Prep and Materials: Studio Overhead & Outdoor Mural canvas  $30,000 

On-Site Building Wall Prep and Skim Coating: Cleaning, skim coat, fine finish, priming  $32,000

On Site Expenses: Insurance, Scaffolding, Safety, Rental Equipment  $28,000

Artist Fees: Artist Fee (includes Artist Time &  Materials)  $85,000
Additional professional artist + 2 artist assistants  $35,000

Mural Lighting: LED Flood Fixtures, wiring & labor    $6,000

Fundraising & Not For Profit Expenses: Studio Events, Printing, PR, Fiscal Sponsor Fee  $24,000

Contingency: Unexpected Expenses   $10,000

Estimated Total: $250,000

To date, John’s murals were funded by private commissions and projects awarded in public  competitions, where the cost of producing the murals is covered. This is the first time that John has initiated a project. 

John approached the Ashland Elks Lodge about the mural back in 2022, and since it was on a privately owned building and the project was initiated by the artist and the property owner, it did not have to go through a public RFP like other public art projects in the City of Ashland. That's why the mural project is not eligible for public funding. 

John presented the mural concept to the Historic Commission and the Public Arts Advisory Committee and the City Council - all publicly noticed meetings that allowed public comment - to seek approval for the mural. He was granted permission to continue with the project from all three bodies and the City Council voted to adopt the mural into the public arts collection once completed. 

The Ashland mural has been accepted into the public arts collection and has been approved by the Elks, the Historic Commission and the Public Arts Advisory Committee. Since it did not have to go through the public arts process, all funding must be from private sources, it is not eligible for public funds, but all donations are tax deductible thanks to our non-profit fiscal sponsor, Ashland Art Works.