The east bound traffic on E Iliff Ave in Aurora can now enjoy Elsa Sroka’s playful composition entitled Double Dip. We started work on this project in 2018 with the facilitation of the artist selection process for the site. Our client, Grand Peaks, wanted an exterior work of art that would enhance the look and feel of their newest development project, Spur at Iliff Station, and require little to no maintenance.
Elsa Sroka, Double Dip, ceramic tile mural
The location selected for the artwork installation is visible to passing traffic on E Iliff Ave, pedestrian traffic as well as residents of the new apartment complex, and light rail passengers arriving or departing from the neighboring Iliff Station. Material selection played a key role in the development of the project as we wanted to ensure the longevity of the artwork so rather than a traditional mural we went with a ceramic tile mural.
Unpacking of 387 - 12” x 12” ceramic tiles that make up the final 30’ x 12’ mural. Pictured left to right: Becky Wareing Steele, Project Coordinator, Elsa Sroka, Artist, and John Grant, Creative Project Manager.
Our client fell in love with Elsa Sroka’s emotionally engaging work that adds a modern twist to the traditional western subject matter. Much of her recent work focuses on cows as the central figure placing them in unconventional settings; a conscious departure from the traditional context in which cows are depicted in much of western art. She finds the most important element to be the cow’s expression giving her subject a personality to inspire an emotional connection with both the painter and the viewer. Sroka believes the ordinary subject becomes significantly more intriguing when misplaced, inviting the viewer to pay attention through the element of surprise.
The original Double Dip painting by Elsa Sroka.
For this project Sroka painted a humorous, vertical composition of two cows, one perched atop the other, in a small wading pool. The original painting was photographed and enlarged into the final 30’ x 12’ ceramic tile mural. If you are in the Aurora area make sure you keep your eyes peeled for this precarious pair near the intersection of E Iliff Ave and S Blackhawk St.