Mallory Herrmann
citydesk@lstribune.net
A new mural has been installed at Hawthorn Bank in New Longview. Savannah Meyer, a junior at Lee’s Summit West High School, designed and painted the piece. The painting was commissioned by Keith Asel, the bank’s northwest regional president.
The mural honors the three high schools with a depiction of their mascots, the Lee’s Summit West Titans, Lee’s Summit North Broncos and Lee’s Summit High School Tigers. It also shows the Longview Farm archway and the official city seal, which features the bust of William B. Howard and the year 1865 (when the town of Strother was founded). Meyer created the concept electronically; after working with Asel to choose the final iteration, she projected the computerized sketch onto the canvas to trace and then paint the mural.
Meyer completed the mural over the summer, prior to attending a pre-college laboratory program at the Kansas City Art Institute. She estimated that the mural took approximately 60 hours to complete. She had previously completed other murals in her own bedroom and as commissioned by family friends, in addition to other smaller freelance projects.
Asel said they wanted artwork to reflect the bank’s partnership with the school district, the historic Longview area and the city of Lee’s Summit.
“A few days later she sent over a conceptual design and we loved it!”
The painting measures 60 by 72 inches and was hung inside the bank’s office on Sept. 21 under custom lighting. The Lee’s Summit branch of Hawthorn Bank is located at 300 SW Longview Blvd.
Meyer and examples of her work can be found on Instagram under the username @savvy.paint.
