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Just days after rejecting the possibility of a statue at the Tennessee capitol, singer Dolly Parton just landed herself a new monument: a massive mural painted outside a California gay club.
Costa Mesa, California venue Strut announced the mural Februrary 23. The massive 50-foot by 20-foot painting depicts Parton as a guardian angel of sorts; the owner of the club commissioned the mural late last year after learning Parton had personally donated $1 million to vaccine research for COVID-19.
Luke Nero, owner of Strut hired artist David Gilmore to complete the painting. Nero also told The Orange County Register that the mural is dedicated to the frontline workers helping to fight the pandemic and vaccinate the public.
Related: Dolly Parton gets Covid vaccine and tells people not to be ‘cowards’ about it
“Not only is she an icon in the queer community and beyond, but she is truly a model of inclusivity,” Nero told the paper. “It’s my hope that our mural will add positivity and a sense of togetherness…while recognizing the contribution of frontline workers.”
Though Strut remains closed due to the pandemic, Nero has said that an official unveiling of the mural will take place March 20.
As a longtime philanthropist, Dolly Parton has spent millions of dollars of her own money to fund pet causes such as fighting childhood illiteracy, HIV/AIDS research and wildlife conservation. Her $1 million donation to COVID vaccine research directly funded the development of the Moderna vaccine. Parton received inoculation herself on March 3 and posted a video of herself performing a version of her hit song “Jolene” retitled “Vaccine” in hopes of inspiring others to get the shot as soon as possible.
Mandrake
It would be nice if it looked like her.
Openminded
My thoughts exactly. I admire the effort, but the art is lacking. I can’t say I would have identified it as Dolly if not told it was her.
ScottOnEarth
It does look like her…and you might want to follow Dolly’s great example of not throwing around negativity and focusing on being kind. Could you do a better mural?
Chrisk
I loved the mural. Sure it’s in her hey day but that’s how the artist and fan still sees her and why now. I think most of us would like to be remembered in our prime.
RyanMBecker
I find it pretty recognizable, and even more so if I was told that it was a celebrity. I will say, however, that I’m surprised that her trademark bosom and cleavage aren’t made more prominent. That would add recognition, for sure.
NateOcean
Was this from the same artist that did the Lucielle Ball statue a few years back?
Cam
It’s based on her younger look.
edwardnvirginia
Dear Readers
who appreciate Dolly as a marvelous talent and moral role model (with one marriage, with chastity in marriage, loyal to family and friends, beneficent to the community and especially generous to communities in need)
… remember that she is from poor and working class, poorly education/un-educated, rural Southern roots …
AND when you feel the urge to call people or call ideas ‘redneck’, ‘hillbilly’, ‘trailer trash’, ‘holler trash’, ‘White trash’, ‘feeble minded’, ‘deplorables with their Bibles and their guns’, etc – in the way that so many queer and other celebrities, cultural and social elites, media ‘influencers’, gender studies and other useless post-structuralist/critical theory/silly putty intellectuals, Democratic elite snots, and others do
… please remember that you are calling all of Dolly’s family and many of her fans – poor and working class people – that.
gothvixen
Just a very basic point – being a fan or family member of Dolly’s doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of any of those words. They might be, they might not, but a link to Dolly is irrelevant and does not grant any immunity. It’s beyond ludicrous actually. Some gun-loving low-iq bigot full of hatred who happens to like Dolly’s music is still vile. I’m poor and working class, I do have a BSc and MSc in physics, but I would never expect people to refrain from calling me out on my faults because I think Dolly’s wonderful. Do you understand my point? “Don’t criticise her, she’s Dolly’s 3rd cousin!” It’s not a logical or rational argument is it?
Thad
Kindness matters. There’s a reason Southern hospitality is world-famous.
Kevan1
From this post and others, you seem imbalanced. Please get help. You really come off as nuts.
Kangol2
Dear @edwardnvirginia, if you are going to ask that people not generalize about one group of people then you should not do it either. You make very nasty assumptions about “queer and other celebrities, cultural and social elites, media ‘influencers’, gender studies and other useless post-structuralist/critical theory/silly putty intellectuals, Democratic elite snots,” thus showing your true colors. You may be unaware of this, but Republican social and cultural elites, critics of gender studies, etc., including your beloved Don the Con, trash poor White people as well. Don’t think they don’t. But you continue to believe the delusion that they truly love you and people like you. Thankfully, Dolly Parton sees through all of that BS. And her fans include people in the very categories you trashed as well.
Cam
@edwardnvirginia
Translation: You want to take away any attention on the honor Dolly is getting so you can portray other’s who attack LGBTQ people as victims.
Nice deflection attempt.
IanHunter
Please sell prints or posters of the finished project. Love it!!!
DarkZephyr
The comment section of her instagram video is NUTS. TONS of crazy covidiots and anti-vaxers who want COVID 19 to stay forever. They’re nothing but plague rats.
Openminded
I love to read the stories where these nuts contract COVID, nearly die, and then feel the need to warn everyone out there that “This COVID sh*t is real”. As if those of us with a brain didn’t already know that.
ScottOnEarth
I’m usually very annoyed by celebrity-worship but Dolly’s decades-long advocacy for LGBTQ rights is remarkable and should be acknowledged by the community at every turn. She’s a small-town girl from the hills of Tennessee – not the best recipe for the kind, supportive, progressive, open-minded woman Dolly is to us. She doesn’t talk politics but she has never wavered on – or apologized for – her support of our community. I also love this mural – it’s beautiful.
Kangol2
She’s a remarkable figure and always has been. Her support for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine mirrors her forward-thinking advocacy for LGBTQ people, her pushback against racism, her example as a feminist icon, and so much more. Thank you, Dolly Parton, and the mural is beautiful, like her!
Babakazoo
at first glance I thought it was Trixie Mattel.