COQUILLE — Longtime Coos County artist Simon Whiteowl put the finishing touches on his four-story mural in Coquille on July 16, after spending a month painting a fishing scene on the south side of the Nosler Building.
The bright mural, resplendent with yellows, greens and blues, faces Oregon Highway 42 at its intersection with North Adams Street. It depicts the silhouette of a person standing in a small boat, fishing in the nearby Coquille River. The name of the city, and the river, is emblazoned in tall blue letters, each five feet wide, across the 51-foot expanse of the building’s back side.
Coquille Mayor Sam Flaherty has been working on this project since early March, when he asked Whiteowl to “pencil in” the mural painting. Flaherty also contacted the owner of the Nosler Building, Janis Vanags of Good Faith Management LLC of Eugene. The mayor said the building previously was identified as a potential mural wall by a city committee. Vanags has agreed to maintain the mural, which Flaherty said could last 20 years.
“He’s been investing a ton of money in that building, rehabbing it,” Flaherty said.
Whiteowl, with the help of his partner, Toni Easley, also of Barview, began the project June 17 after receiving the city’s OK. The Coquille Urban Renewal Agency unanimously approved the mural June 3 with funds from its budget not to exceed $11,500. The cost includes the city’s rental of the motorized lift Whiteowl used to maneuver into painting position.
He said the city “brought me what they kinda wanted,” the mural to depict. Flaherty said the mural is based on a design created by Anne Duquennois, who worked for the city years ago. It is one of several images she created for the city’s Riverwalk project. The city has used her designs to promote the Riverwalk and Coquille River Days for the past couple of years.
Whiteowl’s final day of painting allowed him time to add a bridge over the river downstream from the main character, a fisher named “Pat.” He also added the sun near the top of the image and a partially-hidden “easter egg,” a rat named “Sunnie,” in the grass alongside the river at the right. The creature is named for the artist’s late son.
Whiteowl has developed a routine of hiding characters in his murals, such as the spotted owl he stashed in a logging scene he painted inside the North Bend Bowl. His work also can be seen at the Itty Bitty Inn in North Bend, at the Sunset Motel in Bandon, in Coos Bay, Charleston, Ashland, Talent and as far away as Battle Creek, Mich. He also paints backdrops for The Liberty Theatre in North Bend.
“I’ve been doing over 30 years of signs and murals,” he said, noting that this river scene is his first in Coquille.
Flaherty is excited to see this project completed.
“He’s just done a tremendous job,” he said of Whiteowl. “It looks great.”
The mayor already has talked with the artist about painting a mural on another designated site in Coquille next year.
“The community response has been tremendous,” he said. “Everybody’s loving this mural.”
Flaherty praised the Urban Renewal Agency Board, which comprises the City Council, for its actions of the past year.
“The current URA board has been the most aggressive URA board in accomplishing tasks in the history of the URA in Coquille,” he said. “It has taken multiple steps in improving our city, purchasing property for future development, by accomplishing streetscape design and of course, the mural. We’re working toward our future. Improving the downtown area. Making it a better place to live.”
The mayor already has talked with the artist about painting a mural on another designated site in Coquille next year.
“The community response has been tremendous,” he said. “Everybody’s loving this mural.”
Flaherty praised the Urban Renewal Agency Board, which comprises the City Council, for its actions of the past year.
“The current URA board has been the most aggressive URA board in accomplishing tasks in the history of the URA in Coquille,” he said. “It has taken multiple steps in improving our city, purchasing property for future development, by accomplishing streetscape design and of course, the mural. We’re working toward our future. Improving the downtown area. Making it a better place to live.”
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