ASA Annual Conference

Participation Type

Panel

Session Title

You Found What?! Or the Surprising Story of the Norris Dam Mural

Session Abstract or Summary

This panel will tell the story, in three parts, of the mural, painted on the wall at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Norris Dam located in Anderson County, Tennessee. Part I will discuss the creation of TVA and the construction of Norris Dam. Part II will tell the story of when and how the mural was discovered in 2016, and Part III will provide a close look at the restoration of the mural.

TVA, created during President Roosevelt’s New Deal, was to improve the lives of the people of the Tennessee Valley by providing flood control, navigation, and affordable electricity. Norris Dam was the first dam built by the federal corporation. Construction began a few short months after the TVA Act was signed in 1933, and Norris generated its first commercial power on July 28, 1936. TVA’s dams were a stylistic departure from anything that had been constructed before. In fact, the dam was designed with a reception room to welcome visitors. It was in this reception room that a mural, painted on the wall in the 1950s by well-known artist, Robert Birdwell, was discovered. As TVA was preparing to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of Norris, improvements were being done at the dam. One improvement included removing carpet from a wall. During this process, the mural was uncovered. Once the 80^th anniversary was over, TVA made the decision to restore the mural with help from TVA’s retiree association, Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. The completed mural was unveiled on Oct. 16, 2018.

About the Presenter

Patricia Bernard Ezzell Ms., Tennessee Valley AuthorityFollow
Travis S. Brickey Mr., Tennessee Valley AuthorityFollow
Michael J. Ruzga Mr., Fine Arts Conservation, Inc.Follow

Presentation #1 Title

Part I: Setting the Stage: An Overview of TVA and Norris Dam

Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary

Pat Ezzell, Senior Program Manager, Communications & Marketing, and Federal Preservation Officer, TVA, will provide historical context for the mural by discussing the creation of TVA, the construction of Norris Dam, and TVA’s architectural designs.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1

Patricia Bernard Ezzell serves as a Senior Program Manager (Historian) for the Tennessee Valley Authority as well as the agency’s Federal Preservation Officer. She is the author of several articles as well as two books on TVA history: TVA Photography: Thirty Years of Life in the Tennessee Valley and TVA Photography, 1963-2008: Challenges and Changes in the Tennessee Valley, both published by the University Press of Mississippi. She served as historical consultant on the documentary film, Built for the People: The Story of TVA and has contributed to other media specials, most recently the WBIR history on the building of Norris Dam, For the Greater Good.

Pat holds a Masters of Arts degree in History with an emphasis in Historic Preservation and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Honors History, both from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Presentation #2 Title

Part II: Continuing the Story: Norris Dam’s 80th Anniversary Celebration

Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary

Travis Brickey, Senior Program Manager, Communications & Marketing, TVA, will tell the story of how the mural was uncovered and how we dealt with the surprising discovery for the 80^th anniversary celebration.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2

Travis Brickey, Senior Program Manager, Communications and Marketing

Using social media to tell our rich history and how we're serving the Valley today by peeling back the curtain and give a peek behind the scenes to reveal how TVA and its employees generate and deliver energy to almost 10 million people, work with local communities to promote economic development and harness the Tennessee River system including 293,000 acres of public lands.

Originally from the Tri-Cities area in northeast Tennessee, Travis graduated from Carson-Newman University in 1992 with a bachelor degree in communications. His first career was in television news at WBIR-TV in Knoxville. In 2004 Brickey moved to public and community relations at the Tennessee Department of Transportation before moving to TVA in 2010.

Presentation #3 Title

Part III: Ending the Story: The Restoration of the Norris Dam Mural

Presentation #3 Abstract or Summary

Mike Ruzga, Principal, Fine Arts Conservation, Inc., will finish the story by sharing how he and his team totally restored the mural. This will be a very visual presentation and panel.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3

Michael Ruzga – Has been the Director & Chief Conservator of Fine Arts Conservation, Inc. for 20 years

and has been conserving paintings and murals for Museums, Corporate Collections, and Individuals for over 30 years. He is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.