New Mural in Three Rivers

Yesterday I began a new mural in the Three Rivers Museum’s new Mineral King Room. The internet was on vacation, so you get to see the beginnings today.

This is the only photo I have of the Three Rivers Museum. Paul Bunyon doesn’t belong here, except that Carroll Barnes of Three Rivers carved him from a Sequoia.

Paul Bunyon in Three Rivers at the museum.
Paul Bunyon in Three Rivers at the museum.
blank wall
Blank wall in the Mineral King room designed by Gary Cort and built by Pete Crandall.
outline, ready to paint
The first step is to find the edges of the mural and mask it for painting. This is 5 feet wide by 7 feet high.
sky
The sky is the first thing, because I almost always paint what is farthest away first.
sketchy sketch
How’s this for a sketchy sketch as a guide for the mural? Yeah, I know. It’s sketchy.
wrong gray
I mixed up Purple Mountains Majesty, plus a basic gray. It was the wrong color of gray – not enough contrast to PMM.
better gray
Better gray to complement Purple Mountains Majesty. (Why, yes, I did make up my own paint color name! Thank you for noticing!)
img_4650
Now we’re cooking with gas.

What am I painting? So glad you asked. This is the upper reaches of Empire Mountain, which contains multiple mines. There was a tram with a cable running on towers to carry buckets of ore from the mines down to the stamp mill. I will paint a tram tower in the front. You can see the beginnings of it tomorrow.

Meanwhile, would you like to say hello to Samson?

Samson
Samson

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10 Comments

  1. I’m gonna love watching your mural progress Jana!! And I already LOVE Samson! I’m really glad it isn’t Samsung…

    • Kathryn, he isn’t Samsung, but he is explosive.

      and the mural is FINISHED! You can see it at the museum.

  2. Hello and love the area! Empire!!!

    • Thanks for recognizing it, Sally. Sure would be helpful if someone had taken a few dozen photos of the tram tower back when it was still standing.

  3. P.S. Hello, Samson, you handsome kitty, you!

    • I wonder if he’ll keep the little spots on his belly as he grows, or if he’ll be like a fawn and lose the spots.

  4. Yay! I can’t wait to see what magic appears on that wall, courtesy of your amazing talent! Oh, yes, then to see it in person next summer, too! 😀

    • Aw shucks, Sharon. It is such a privilege to be chosen to paint MK.

  5. Aaawww

    • Nancy, it’s “aaawww” until he sinks his teeth into my hand!

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