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Arts & Entertainment

Twice As Nice

Eccleshall paints sun-dappled Olympics for Edmonds Mural Society.

It's all about the hidden treasures of Edmonds. 

That's the theme chosen by the members of the Edmonds Mural Society this year.  Local muralist Andy Eccleshall captured that concept with his piece entitled "The Brothers." 

His painting features a splash of cloudy sunlight hitting the Olympic Mountain peaks. 

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Eccleshall's inspiration came on a rainy Edmonds day. During a sunbreak, he caught sight of the peaks and was struck by their beauty.

"I thought, 'That's it!  That's what I want to do,'" Eccleshall said.

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His mural will be painted alongside The Papery on Main Street in downtown Edmonds.

Mural Society Board member Pat Brier said the mural will capture a sight that many in Edmonds look forward to: glimpsing the morning after a storm. 

"It's absolutely brilliant," Brier said.

Brier has designed two murals -- "A Day In Edmonds" and "An Evening In Edmonds."  Both murals are mounted alongside Sound Styles on Main Street in the downtown.

Eccleshall created a stir last summer when he painted "Steam Mills 1893."  I remember that well because I had to broker a deal between the property owner and the Mural Society.

It's unusual for building owners from whom the Society leases walls to name conditions.  However, in this case, owner Roy Frederickson stipulated that the mural feature a historical theme.

I wasn't too surprised because Frederickson had regaled me many times with stories of Edmonds in the '50s, '60s and later.  In fact, my gallery, Manya Vee Selects, was a boyhood destination of his.

His best friend's family used to have a diner where my gallery now stands.  He even pointed out where he used to sit and eat hamburgers back in the '50s.

Anyway, I called up Eccleshall, who at that time was heading the Edmonds Historical Society.  I asked him if he could find something historical that we could turn into an artistically pleasing mural.

"Steam Mills 1893" was his answer. The painting features the cedar mills that used to dot the waterfront.

Painting that work was a joy for Eccleshall.  In particular, he enjoyed working with who assisted.  He described them as "energetic and keen to work." 

In particular, Eccleshall was impressed at how willing they were to work on the least interesting parts of painting the mural, such as basing in the principal elements.  "I think they still got something out of it," he said.

For this summer, Eccleshall's looking forward to the challenge of creating another, equally memorable work. 

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