Mast Family Member Views Historic Murals at Clare Middle School

The Clare County Arts Council, Clare County Historical Society and Clare Public Schools had some very special guests this past week. On July 25, Suzannah and Patrick Reid came and viewed the Gerald Mast murals in the Clare Middle School. Suzannah Reid is Gerald Mast's granddaughter. She and her husband live in Aspen, Colorado, and were vacationing in Michigan.

The murals were part of the Works Progress Administration from the 1930s. The murals are owned by the federal government but housed at Clare Middle School. Suzannah had never seen the murals and was surprised at their size. Marty Johnson from the Clare County Historical Society, and Jane Sartor and Carol Crawford from the Clare County Arts Council shared stories about the murals. 

Suzannah knew her grandfather and he encouraged her artistic ability. She is an artist who does encaustic art. It is a form of abstract art using wax and paper to make designs. Suzannah works part time as a Historic Architecture Preservationist, so she really enjoyed the viewing at Clare Middle School. Dr. Jeff Mast, her uncle, viewed the murals in 2011. He has since passed away. Suzannah’s mother, Betsy Reid also visited the murals previously.