Art emerges from emptiness

The controversial closing of the Bulldog Tavern at the end of August not only left a void on the corner of Sharp and Hamilton, but also in the hearts of Gonzaga students and Spokanites alike. Yet, a largely unforeseen outcome has made itself present at the intersection: art.

Passers-by of the former Bulldog Tavern may have noticed the recent formulation of a life-size mural on the south wall of the building. The 48-by-8-foot piece is a tribute to Gonzaga and its surrounding community, featuring notable alumni from the university's past and famous people from Spokane.

Tom Quinn, local freelance artist, teacher and '82 graduate, was contacted by the building's owner, Willard Quinn III (no relation) in early September to create the commemorative mural. 

"It was kind of serendipitous because I am a Gonzagan and I spent a lot of time at the Bulldog myself," Quinn said. "I don't know of any other artist who would've fit the bill any better."

The building's owner proposed the concept of the mural.

"This is pretty much all their idea," Quinn said. "They told me who they wanted to have on there. And once I put everyone they wanted on there, I was able to put a few people I wanted on there as well."

According to Quinn, the majority of the characters portrayed on the mural are not to be identified by name, out of fear of legal ramifications, though he acknowledges a number of well-known basketball players. He does, however, encourage observers to guess who's who.

"They are mostly Gonzaga people," he said. "A couple of them are from Spokane, but not Gonzaga. Most of them are Gonzaga graduates, including the people who aren't celebrities. I put myself on there, and I've got my dad and one of his friends as well."

One of the more puzzling and standout characters on the wall is an elf-like, warrior woman who is a well-known actress from Spokane. According to Quinn, she was one of his favorites to depict.

"I decided to start with her because I wanted to do someone that was a lot of fun to draw," he said.

Among the characters Quinn was willing to identify and speak about was Fr. Tony Lehmann, S.J. Lehmann was included in the mural for personal reasons.

"He's significant because he was the chaplain of the Bulldogs," he said. "When I was doing Gonzaga-in-Florence in 1981, he was ... [with] Gonzaga-in-Florence. He was a good friend of mine. He died nine years ago, and I wanted to commemorate him."

Quinn is typically on the corner of Sharp and Hamilton every day from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. During that time, Quinn says, people frequently question him about both the future of the building and the characters in the mural.

"People keep coming up and saying, ‘Who's the elf chick?'" he said. "But other than that, it's a lot of thumbs-ups and ‘Keep it ups.'"

The mural is scheduled to be completed by mid-to-late November; however, Quinn believes the weather will play a large role in a timely finish.

Quinn's mural work can be seen in other areas of Spokane, including the Spokane International Airport, where his piece, "Flight of the Sun God," extends from floor to ceiling in Concourse C. His website, quinntheartist.com, also features his various works on display throughout Washington.