Artist Michael Sekletar’s 2011 Iwo Jima mural was such a success that Amherst, Ohio residents asked him to complete the rest of the building with a second mural. Sekletar relied on supporters and donations to complete both projects and SEAL-KRETE agreed to supply its Dura-Shell coating system to protect the brick murals.
Sekletar’s second mural is a replication of Lee Teter’s "Reflections”. At 13-by-19 feet and with over 200 hours of work, it is the largest rendition of this famous painting dedicated to Vietnam War veterans. “We applied both Dura-Shell high gloss and matte finishes to the wall. We originally chose Dura-Shell because it could be applied to oil and latex paints,” said Sekletar. He also wanted the anti-graffiti protection that it provides and so far the Iwo Jima mural has remained graffiti-free.
On Veterans Day 2013, Sekletar and his father John, a Navy veteran, were thrilled to invite and welcome the suited subject of “Reflections” to Amherst’s dedication of the mural. Jim Williams traveled from his home in Maryland to speak and pose for photos at the ceremony. Williams, an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, got to share some interesting stories and facts regarding the painting and the other military men in the painting with local media.
SEAL-KRETE’s Brand Manager, Chris Krueger, coordinated the Dura-Shell donation for the “Reflections” mural. “It’s a privilege to be a part of this project, honoring veterans,” said Krueger, “Because the mural is outside, it required a durable coating that withstands temperature changes, sun exposure, and wind-driven rain and snow. And to protect against possible vandalism, an anti-graffiti coating was also necessary. Dura-Shell, a two-part, water-based urethane coating, was the obvious choice because it has all of those properties and it provides a beautiful finish to the mural.”
Sekletar added, “Next spring or summer I would like to add to the wall and dedicate space to veterans of the Korean War as well as a timeline.”
As if he hasn’t been busy enough, Sekletar has also just completed another project using Dura-Shell high gloss on cinder block at his favorite childhood hangout Skate World in his hometown of Lorain, Ohio. “I went there as a kid and they always had big lettering so I approached them with the mural idea. They agreed to commission the job on their east wall facing the parking lot,” he stated.
Sekletar has a website dedicated to his projects, particularly the veteran murals. Visit his website at http://amherstveteransmural.com/. Also visit SEAL-KRETE’s websites to learn about Dura-Shell and other products at www.seal-krete.com.
