Rochester Elks celebrate restoration of iconic mural

From left, artists Paula Maskwa, Patricia Francoeur and Leslie Devaney in front of the mural they restored. (Courtesy photo).

ROCHESTER - Fifty-two years ago, the Rochester Elks #1393 expanded their lodge facilities located at 295 Columbus Ave. Part of that renovation included a beautiful hand painted mural in our social quarters by local artist Patricia Francoeur. The mural withstood the test of time, but in the last few years, many of the members noted that it was starting to look old and some commented that it needed restoration.

There was a spirited debate within the lodge about this painting. Some of the membership thought it should be covered up with a more modern looking facade. Others said it was a vital part of the lodge's history and should be restored and maintained. The membership was notified and a vote was taken at a lodge meeting. Those who supported the restoration prevailed. A fund raising effort was started and very recently enough money was put together by the membership to restore the mural.

Original artist Pat Francoeur was contacted and she agreed to do the work, with assistance from two of her former art students and friends, Paula Maskwa and Leslie Devaney. The mural was first cleaned by a local restoration company and then the artists arrived on scene and after a period of time, the mural has now been totally restored to its former grandeur. These wonderful ladies performed magnificent work on our beloved illustration of an elk in the wilderness.

Francoeur is a native of Somersworth and has been active in the arts for most of her life. Her specialty is oils, but she has also done water colors, pastels and some pen and inks. She loves to paint New England scenes, pictures of her children and paintings which captured her travels abroad.

She taught oil painting for 45 years and led an adult art course at Somersworth High School for 29 years. Francoeur attended Plymouth State University and studied art over the years with many renowned artists in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She is a registered New England artist and is listed in the Who's Who of American Artists. Pat is a member of the Women of the Arts Museum in Washington, DC. She has done countless murals and paintings in banks, churches, hotels and city government buildings in the local area.

Most of her major work projects were performed in the '70s and '80s. The Elks mural may be part of a select few renderings which have survived up to this point in time. Sadly, a lot of her paintings have been removed due to renovations of buildings, etc.

The Rochester Elks will be forever grateful to her for the original mural and for her and her assistants' efforts over half a century later to restore the original painting. It truly has become part of our heritage as an Elks Lodge.

The Rochester Elks #1393 has well over 900 members and was chartered in 1920. Since inception, our lodge has contributed money, in kind donations and volunteer work which today is valued at $8.7 million dollars. There are 14 Elks Lodges in the Granite State with a membership of 7,600. Nationally, the Elks have over 800,000 members. For more information about the Elks organization, please visit : www.elks.org