Pochis Bank Art Studio was hired by Live Art International to create a massive chalk mural during the ABA Convention’s Friday night cocktail party.  The 2017 Annual Convention highlighted new developments, trends and innovative strategies throughout the banking industry and utilized the 1893 World’s Fair as a backdrop for their evening. In the midst of fair performers and mingling bankers, Nancy and studio artists Brandin Hurley, Shane Taylor, Brittney Williams and Grace Brandt made this mural come to life in just over two hours.

The design process for this piece involved perusing a historical timeline from the American Bankers Association spanning from the first American Bank in 1782 to the establishment of a new banking domain in 2015. Through collaboration with the client, we settled on thirteen events to depict in our circular timeline mural. These events included the release of It’s a Wonderful Life, one of the first popular portrayals of the banking industry, the first ATM, and the beginning of online banking. We also included the World’s Fair as a nod to the event’s theme and the retirement of ABA Chief Operating Officer Jeff Owen following a 45-year career. The COO even stopped by and took a photo with the mural during its creation.

Studio work before the convention involved painting primed canvas with several coats of chalkboard paint and outlining the different sections and large bank vault that served as the mural’s focal point. Nancy decided to use canvas because of the mural’s size. The scale of this piece and the nature of the event required that the work surface be large and easily transported. With five artists moving around the canvas on a small stage, party attendees were fascinated by how our team worked seamlessly and efficiently to finish this detailed live mural in two hours. After finishing, we fixed the design into place with hairspray and the ABA was excited to keep their unique work of art.