As a giant Pacific Northwest octopus climbs a tree stump in a forest, a western bluebird perches on its head while monarch butterflies fly around the octopus, which is also drinking a cup of coffee.
It’s a scene that’s unlikely to be found in nature — maybe in an internet literacy test circa 2007 — but is now displayed, in mural form, on the north side of Rheinlander Bakery in Olde Town Arvada.
For muralist Patrick Maxcy, who earned the mural commission by winning last year’s Olde Town Shindig Mural Contest, putting octopuses in unexpected places is a vital part of placemaking.
“The octopus is a character I paint often in my work,” Maxcy said. “I love painting them where they are least expected because visitors remember them, take photos with them, and my work is full of fun, whimsical storytelling.”
Maxcy is an accomplished muralist who has painted 18 murals throughout Colorado and beyond, with other murals completed in Nicaragua and Uganda, to name a couple. He was one of the first supporters of public mural art in Arvada’s historic district, long before Olde Town became replete with sprawling installations.
“I actually started pitching murals to Olde Town Arvada before there were murals even here,” Maxcy said. “ I lived in Arvada for a few years, and lived very close to Olde Town, and I remember meeting (Olde Town BID Director) Joe (Hengstler) at a mural festival in Fraser, Colorado.
“And even back then, I was trying to pitch ideas to him for murals in Arvada,” Maxcy continued. “And I don’t think there were any. The first project we did was (painting) the electrical boxes to kind of get people used to the idea. I was part of getting that project going and working on that mural, and then it slowly grew from there into more murals.”
Hengstler said he was thrilled to have Maxcy’s mural work find a home in Olde Town, especially on a historic shop like Rheinlander’s, which turned 61 years old this year.
“It’s been great working with Patrick on this latest mural,” Hengstler said. “Patrick did one of our first public art installations when we painted the electric boxes in Olde Town five years ago, and I’ve personally always loved his work.
“I think it is especially meaningful to have this latest mural installed on Rheinlander Bakery,” Hengstler continued. “Having been in Olde Town for three generations, the community has a lot of memories of coming here as children and now bringing their kids or grandkids. It’s our hope that this piece can now be part of that memory-making process.”
Maxcy said that as a former Arvada resident, he hopes his mural will conjure a sense of wonder for the visitors of Olde Town, especially families with young children.
“I love that Arvada has been so open to creativity and letting artists do a little more of their concepts and ideas,” Maxcy said. “My stuff was a lot more imaginative and whimsical, and I wanted something a lot more playful, because I lived in Arvada, and there are a lot of families here, so I wanted something fun that kids and lots of families could enjoy as they walk through Olde Town.”
To celebrate the occasion, Rheinlander’s has released a limited edition batch of cookies commemorating Maxcy’s work. The cookies — which will be available until July 12 — depict paint brushes, a paint palette and spray paint cans (Maxcy’s preferred medium), respectively.