Art was at the forefront at the Thursday meeting of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission of Lincoln.

Local artist Jennifer Boeke unveiled her second sketch for a painting she will do of Abraham Lincoln speaking to a crowd on the steps of the Logan County Courthouse on Oct. 16, 1858.

As planned, members of the painting committee had met with Boeke to discuss a previous sketch and offer suggestions for making the painting more historically accurate. Additional points about historical accuracy were discussed and resolved at Thursday’s meeting.

The 58-by-60-inch picture, which will be kept under close wraps until an official unveiling, will depict Lincoln and an excited crowd waiting to hear him speak. The researchers have delved into local accounts of early Lincoln, Ill., to determine what background areas of the downtown streets would have looked like at that time.

Boeke summed up the individual postures of the large crowd in the painting when she said, “Whatever you can think of in that moment when you meet a great man.”

The committee hopes to dedicate the painting on Oct. 16, during a re-enactment of Lincoln’s courthouse-steps speech. The commission for the work will be paid in part through a grant received recently by Main Street Lincoln.

Main Street Director Wanda Rohlfs said the matching funds for the fee have also been taken care of.

Rohlfs announced her son-in-law, Sean Leonard, a Chicago actor, will portray Abraham Lincoln during the re-enactment. She is still seeking people with period clothing who are interested in participating as members of the crowd.

Darlene Begolka said Habitat for Humanity has agreed to build the platform for the event.

Ron Keller, commission co-chairman, said he has received an endorsement from the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission for the re-enactment. He said the local commission can use the state logo on any publicity for the event.

Begolka also informed the commission an Abraham Lincoln theme will be introduced into the talent show and floral and photography classes this year at the Logan County Fair.

A ghost walk, initially suggested as a part of the Heritage Days celebration in July, will be moved to September during the Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting and Crafts Festival.

Keller reminded commissioners of the 11:30 a.m. Monday meeting in the Lincoln College Museum with representatives of the Ravina Festival. The meeting is to plan for local appearances of Ravina musicians. Groups wishing to host the musicians are urged to attend the meeting.

Mayor Beth Davis-Kavelman, who co-chairs the commission with Keller, said the Lincoln Heritage Days committee is planning an April 10 drive-through chicken dinner to raise funds for fireworks. She hopes to have the Heritage Days brochures completed at that time to hand out with the dinners.

Keller announced that artist Sacha Newley has donated a contemporary living portrait of Abraham Lincoln to the Lincoln College Museum. The work will be unveiled during a 7 p.m. ceremony on May 3 at the museum.

Newley has works hanging in both the Smithsonian and the Victoria and Albert Museum.