The Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Art Infusion Mural Committee are pleased to announce that David Mark Zimmerman, aka Bigshot Robot, will return as a featured muralist for Art Infusion Mural Week, September 4 – 12, 2021, bringing the total number of murals to be created during the 2021 event to five.

David was a muralist for the 2020 Art Infusion event. He painted the much beloved and whimsical Dog Bone Mural that wraps around two sides of the building in the alley behind 215 West Milwaukee Street in downtown Janesville. For his return visit, David will create another piece of art on the north wall of the Harris Ace Hardware at 200 S River St in downtown Janesville. The design for his mural has not been finalized yet.

“We are delighted to invite David back as the featured muralist for 2021,” said Christine Rebout, Executive Director of the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “His vibrant and humorous art has been such a wonderful addition to Janesville, and we look forward to the addition of another one of his lighthearted designs.”

Additionally, the call for artists to embellish the other four mural locations, which closed on June 13, drew a great response with grand total of 67 applicants and many artists submitting applications for more than one wall.

· 28 from Wisconsin

· 5 from Janesville

· 7 from Milwaukee

· 4 from Chicago

· Applicants representing 16 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin

· Applicants representing two countries outside of the U.S.: Chile and Uganda (Because the call for artists asked for applicants from the U.S. those that applied from outside of the country could not be considered.)

From those 67 submissions the Art Infusion Mural Committee Jury has narrowed the potential artists to ten finalists from around the U.S. including Kenosha, Milwaukee, New Richmond and Whitefish Bay, WI; Chicago and Geneva, IL; Chattanooga, TN; Rochester, NY; Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA.

“We were very happy with the diversity of applications for the art call,” said Stacey Williams-Ng of Wallpapered City, the organization assisting with the project. “We not only had a wide selection of ideas and portfolios, but we received submissions from all over the continental US. The jurors were really spoiled for choice.” The committee hopes to have the field narrowed to the final four artists by mid-July.

“The jurors have had their work cut out for them,” said Rebout. “We thank them for their investment of time, hard work and commitment.” The jury of nine is composed of community members.