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The mural was commissioned in May 1980
by the Board of Directors of the Macon Chapter of the American Red
Cross. It was dedicated 14 March, 1982, in memory of Mr.
Eden Taylor, Jr. (1882-1962).
The mural symbolizes the Red Cross as an
institution offering shelter to those suffering from emergencies
ranging from wars to natural disasters. The architectural
element of columns divides the mural into three panels.
The central panel has a woman and man in
uniform, depicting Red Cross activities with the military and as a
communication agency. It also refers to the family unit
which the Red Cross works to support. They lean together as
if the man has just returned from war, and they celebrate life and
peace and symbolize the Red Cross's same celebration of
life. The peaches represent the fruit of life as well as a
product of Middle Georgia. The water symbolizes the
life-giving nature of the Red Cross and also illustrates water
safety, life saving, and handicapped children programs. One
instructor teach a young child. There are two children in
the background, one with arms out-stretched, full of life energy
of the young; the other leans against a tree which provides
shelter to the vulnerable.
In the distance are scenes of less peaceful
thoughts. A tent, emblazoned with the Red Cross emblem,
signifies the presence of the Red Cross in times of need. A
figure kneels under a tree helping a reclining figure while a
blood mobile rises over the hill. To the left a tornado
bears down on an industrial area showing potential for disaster in
modern times. The tornado is a reminder of the Warner Robins
disaster that the Macon Chapter rose to help.
There is a general movement in the background
from the red war times on the left to the calm blue skies on the
right. The background also shows from the mountains to the
sea, the refrain from the song of America.
The left panel foreground shows a soldier in a
foreign land reading a letter from home beside a statue
symbolizing Clara Barton or the spirit of the Red Cross. The
forefront has the feeling of a garden that heals the spirit.
Yet behind them the hideous power of war is shown by the leaping
horse. The time of the founding of Red Cross to meet the
needs of the 19th century soldiers is illustrated by bombs
exploding all around.
The right panel is packed with activity.
The dog is leading a young girl to safety showing the spirit of
the Red Cross as the child places her hand with complete trust on
his collar. The dog and young girl also complete the feeling
of family. Above her swirls the Red Cross flag and the Stars
and Stripes, entwined. A Red Cross Volunteer welcomes the
victims.
A man and woman carrying a child hurry up the
hill from the plain to the Red Cross, in the words of Clara
Barton, "the Bulwark against mighty woes."
This mural was made possible in part by an
artist-initiated grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts and
Humanities.
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