Artists decorate New London picnic tables

Visitors to New London’s park system this summer will see changes to picnic tables in the pavilions, along the riverways, and at Pfeiffer, Hatten and Memorial Parks.

The New London Park and Recreation Department asked the Wolf River Art League (WRAL) to brighten up the park’s dingy brown tables.

Wolf River Art League members started painting picnic tables last year at Memorial Park, as a children’s activity.
This year they contributed 18 additional adult table creations.

They worked on the tables for two weeks in front of their fundraising wall at Amazing Low Prices and finished painting at Fox Valley Chamber’s “Bazaar After Dark” event June 3.

“There were plenty of food trucks and not enough picnic tables put out for people to eat on,” said Diane Urban with WRAL.

“People were coming up to us and sitting down on wet paint, and only then did they realize we had a live art project going on for them.”

WRAL President Lori Schneider said 10 of the newly painted tables have vintage tablecloth designs of psychedelic mushrooms, ‘60s mod, dainty flowers, gingham checks and cherries, bandana patterns and positive messages.

Another eight have images that include a cow complete with udders under the tabletop, a Grateful Dead skull in red, white and blue, a stylized cat, a Matchbox town for kids, “We Scream for Ice Cream,” a patriotic pattern, and more.

Schneider noted that this paint is the same exterior latex paint that was used on the murals created throughout the city over the past two years, and should hold up as long as people are kind to them.

“That Matchbox town should get some good wear to it and last a good long time,” she said.