Bowling Green Unveils New Don Drumm Mural Restoration

From the east and from the west, the William T. Jerome Library on Bowling Green State University’s campus presents onlookers with a striking visual of dark, abstract shapes, which collide across the surface of the building’s 10 stories.

This beautifully handcrafted piece of public art (the largest at Bowling Green State University) was created by the school’s first artist in residence, Don Drumm, who is known for using contemporary industrial materials and techniques, including concrete, paint and sandblasting, in his works. 

Since it was originally commissioned in 1966, the mural has suffered significant damage due to time and weather, dulling its once-vibrant appearance. Following a months-long restoration process that began in October 2025, an unveiling of the newly restored mural occurred April 23, 2026. Drumm’s daughters attended on his behalf, joined by campus leaders, students and other community members.

RELATED: The Life and Art of Don Drumm

“It looks great,” Drumm was quoted saying in an April 23 press release after seeing pictures of the mural. “It makes me feel good to know some work I’ve done … is still around.” 

The mural isn’t Drumm’s only work on campus either. The now 91-year-old artist crafted more than a dozen works during his residency, such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” but the Jerome Library mural is his largest work there. 

The mural underwent a restoration in 1995, but with this most recent work, it has been enhanced to resist harsh weather, temperature changes and expansion. The 2026 restoration also brought new exterior lighting to better illuminate the mural at night. 

“My father is very interesting,” Leandra Drumm, who co-owns Don Drumm Studios in Akron, said in the April 23 press release. “The art gene is very strong in him, but he also has that structural background that helps him to understand how things come together. It has helped with constructing the gallery and assembling his sculptures. … He was born to create.”

For more information about the mural, visit bgsu.edu. For more information on Don Drumm, visit dondrummstudios.com.

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