Two photos of the proposal were submitted by an undisclosed source.
Bryce Brewer, 22, originally from Dixon, IL, deserves a Paint the Town award for designing the “Longest Original Work of Street Art with a Single Theme.” On Saturday, September 19, 2015, Brewer, friends, and family members painted ten-of-11, personally significant squares in a row, along the 100 block of E. Main Street, Morrison, IL.
Each space captured a moment in Brewer’s dating experience with Marie Deter, also 22, from Morrison. Because rain had prevented the couple from painting together last year, Brewer left one square empty.
Editor’s note: Someone walked with painted feet inside this square. Disregard that.
There were vacations, a rock concert, and sports, for example. Bryce showed each captured memory to Marie. The final one–à la deceased artist Keith Haring’s pop art figures–mimicked Brewer asking to marry Deter.
He knelt down, pulled out a ring box, and replicated the art work!
Deter’s parents, Rick and Glenda, had been assigned the task “of keeping her distracted” in the morning, because “she didn’t know” what Brewer was crafting. Glenda stated they missed the actual proposal at about 4:00 p.m., because the family remained down the street.
Her daughter is a student in her final year toward earning a Medical Laboratory Science degree from Bradley University. Marie is involved in a practicum at OSF Medical Center, while residing in Peoria, IL.
Brewer completed an Engineering degree. He resides in Moline, IL, where he writes proposals for a consulting firm.
Tracy Henson, Morrison, was in the right place while her two daughters painted and “had seen a friend of the [Deter] family.” Julia Deter told Henson that “Marie probably had an idea” about an upcoming proposal, and was “suspicious.” Henson stated, “To me, she looked very surprised!” She added, “It was very emotional for the three of us to witness such a special moment. Marie was my student for Junior High PE and was in my niece’s graduating class. After she said, ‘Yes,’ they kissed and hugged, and people cheered and clapped. The family moved up the street, and they [Bryce and Marie] took pictures with their families and siblings.”
Rebecca Scott, D.C., Morrison, was also near the event where her daughter painted. She was alerted by Mark Roy, Morrison, who exclaimed, “That guy’s proposing!” Dr. Scott said, “Marie nodded” her answer, and the “couple shared a hug and a really lovely kiss. Scott asked Theresa Farrell, Morrison, if the girl were her relative, and learned Marie was her niece. Dr. Scott asked why the final proposal painting wasn’t signed. So, Farrell wrote the engaged couple’s names in white chalk; later Dr. Scott painted the names in white paint. “I thought, this deserves more permanence than chalk. I felt so celebratory, so honored that [the special event] was by our square.”
Farrell, Glenda Deter’s sister, described the event. “It was awesome! We all knew about it. [Bryce] did a private Facebook invitation to several friends and family. He just got us all together and wanted help painting….” Her “duty [with] two sisters was to take Marie to lunch and shopping.” Farrell explained the significance of some squares, to illustrate that “family is very important to” Marie.
“One of their first dates was Paint the Town. They visited [my] sister’s in Wisconsin and” paddled on mini surf boards. “In the winter, they went to [my] brother’s in Wisconsin for Valentine’s Day and went snowboarding and snowshoeing.” Another square recalls a visit to Theresa’s “brother in San Francisco, CA.”
“[Bryce] is a really good kid! It was a special time.”
Bryce Brewer is also a persuasive proposal writer and painter. What happiness will he and Marie paint in September 2016?
