Dean Fausett & The Legacy of Mural Art 

What Dean Fausett accomplished in the 1970s as a muralist not only helped solidify the legacy of Martha Levy's original artistry and the back-breaking work of an industry in the Slate Valley, but he also reinforced the legacy of mural art throughout the United States. As vice president and then president of the National Society of Mural Painters during this same time, he not only restored the “Men Working in Slate Quarry,” in cooperation with a dedicated community American Bicentennial committee, he led a national American Bicentennial mural and theater program called the Caravan of Freedom. He even revisited his New Deal roots by restoring his own 1939 post office mural for the community of West New York, New Jersey, the only post office mural, of three, by Fausett still to be displayed today, and still hanging in the intended post office. 

WPA Post office murals were administered by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts under the leadership of Edward Bruce. About the overall Arts initiative, Bruce stated, “Our objective should be to enrich the lives of all our people by making things of the spirit, the creation of beauty, part of their daily lives.” Bruce believed that post office art was the most public, the most accessible, of art. The artists, 850 in total, impacted 1100 post offices with their work by commission with input from postmasters and other community members that helped them develop appropriate works for each community. Through the years, there have been many debates over content, and the passage of time has been the cruelest judge of art from the era. 

As Dean Fausett worked to restore his New Jersey mural after 35 years of public display, he commented to a reporter that “Abe Beam (then mayor of New York City) should come over and see how we've removed the air pollution from New York.” He also referenced his passion toward the founding years of the United States and his hope of depicting the Hamilton/Burr duel, an idea rejected by those in Washington, D.C., 

Following the desired pattern, which was to reflect the American Scene, Fausett instead painted local citizens looking off to the skyline across the Hudson River. 

It is noted that Fausett's other post office murals, of which both reflect his background in researching historic topics, took artistic liberties. For example, the Rosenberg, Texas mural topic related to French explorer Rene’ Robert Cavelier Seiur de La Salle’s journey to rediscover the Mississippi River. The ill-fated expedition and its relationship to this general region of Texas depicts La Salle being killed by his own men. The painting is a more gallant reflection of his status and not the pending doom. In the 1960, the post office where the painting hung was expanded and the mural was removed during the construction. It was later deemed to be either “lost” or “destroyed.” 

In Augusta, Georgia, a mural based on the establishment of Augusta within the Georgia colony was hung within a building that contained both a post office and a courthouse. The post office was relocated to a new building and the painting, with some lapse in time, was added to the collections of the Augusta Museum of History. The work is not currently on display and reported to need conservation. 

The impact of Fausett’s Augusta mural extended beyond his post office commission. His time and efforts there directly impacted both his future work, and ultimately, his establishing a home in Dorset, Vermont. The Augusta Art Club was founded through the Gertrude Herbert Memorial Institute of Art, which was directed by Horace T. Day in 1937. Day, also an artist, seemed to cross paths almost constantly with Fausett in the New York City cluster of developing artists at the Art Students League and in a WPA assignment at the Henry Street Settlement House. With the Augusta post office assignment, Fausett also had a one man show of his smaller works while allowing the public to watch him complete the mural at the Institute of Art. Mrs. Herbert's passion for the arts, charitable work, and philanthropic efforts along with a passion for golf extended to the various communities she called home, which included Dorset. Horace Day had a tie to the area by 1933 and would be instrumental to the establishment of the Southern Vermont Artists, Inc. In the summer of 1940 Fausett had his first showing, with two works of art, in the Manchester Burr and Burton Gymnasium. One work of art, Derby View, was purchased by the Museum of Modern Art. By 1949 Dean Fausett was an active participant in establishing a permanent home to what is now the Southern Vermont Arts Center. 

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