Black Hawk Mural by Richard Haas 1993

Richard Haas and a small team of painters began work on the "Black Hawk Mural" in October, 1992. They had to stop soon, however, due to bad weather. They returned in the spring and work was completed in November, 1993. Haas said he chose Black Hawk as his subject because he "wanted a significant, singular presence. The only choice was Black Hawk. Black Hawk is the only personage who I feel has that power and is intrinsically connected to Rock Island."

The central figure of the mural is a forty-foot, representation of the 1891 statue of Black Hawk by David Richards. In the mural, an inscription on the statue's pedestal reads: We must continue throughout our lives to do what we conceive to be good. Haas said, "I wanted a significant statement, a quote with ramification and meaning for all mankind."

The concept of a mural was initiated in 1990 by the City of Rock Island, the Development Association of Rock Island, Quad City Arts and the Face the River Committee. The mural involved painting the rear of all buildings on the north side of Second Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets. The project was called the North Face project. The Black Hawk mural was the first part of the project to be completed. Funding was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council, Renaissance Rock Island, Development Association of Rock Island and private contributions.

Richard Haas was born in Spring Green, Wisconsin 1936, and currently resides in New York. His art work has been described as once entirely realistic and quite fantastic. Haas is considered by art critics to be a master of a painting technique called trompe l'oeil or "fool the eye."