By Susan de Castro McCann

Redstone Review Editor

LYONS – When Jake Pinello looked at the west wall of the St. Vrain Market, where he planned to paint a mural, he had no idea what he would paint. But after discussions with St. Vrain Market owners Neil and Connie Sullivan, the picture began to take shape.

“This is the Gateway to the Rockies going west, but it is also the gateway to the east coming back, so we wanted to pay tribute to the agricultural heritage and agricultural community that is also a part of Lyons and we also wanted to represent the grocery store,” said Pinello, who has been painting murals for over 40 years. “I couldn’t begin to tell you how many murals I have done. I started with a mural in my daughter’s nursery and she is now 44.” Pinello’s daughter is Kahlie Sue Pinello, a graphic artist who lives in Lyons and often works with her dad on murals. Their company is called Flat Rabbit Murals.

“This mural is bits and pieces of the landscape all along the way to Hygiene,” he said. “I have not drawn a mural like this before.”

Pinello pulled out small sketches of farms, barns and silos. He had photos and drawings of cows and trees. “The ideas start out on a little piece of paper,” said Pinello. “Then it goes to butcher block paper. I find something like a gym floor to draw it on and I make the drawings to scale.”

He uses latex house paint after he has prepared the wall surface with primer coats, and he mixes all his colors directly onto the brush by dipping his brush into each can of paint he wants to mix. No pallet is used. When the mural is finished he will go over the wall with a sealer coat.

Residents walk by and yell to Pinello and his little white dog Duffy. “Looking good,” someone yells over. “Thanks,” says Pinello as he waves. A man on his bike came over and praised the art work while taking a photo of Pinello and Duffy. “This is public art and we always welcome comments from the public,” said Pinello. “I get a lot of comments from people. We wanted to create an environment which pulls the viewer into the picture. We placed the cows low to the ground so that kids could come up and touch them. It makes you want to touch the picture.”

Pinello said that he will finish the mural sometime in July. He has more high ladder work to do as he adds clouds to the sky and touches up the landscape. He said it is about two-thirds done. The mural does not have a name.

“This has been a long time love affair for me,” said Pinello. “I have wanted to paint on this wall for a long time. So I’m very pleased to have one of my dreams come true.” Pinello is a retired art teacher who used to teach art (ceramics) at Ramun High School in Westminster.

Pinello said that each wall is unique. “You just work on what’s in front of you and you don’t think of how big it is,” he said. “Every wall has its own characteristics; every wall has its own attitude, its own texture. The old mural was in real disrepair.”

The new mural will be done in a few weeks and will be a wonderful addition to Lyons. Stop by and say Hi.

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