People driving into Keizer from Salem will soon be greeted by a mural painted on the side of a restaurant along River Road.
Designed to look like a postcard, the 10-by-12 mural will read “Greetings from Keizer,” complete with a river scene and block-style letters.
Each letter in “Keizer” will depict a recognizable place in town, including the Keizer Cultural Center, the Big Toy and amphitheater in Keizer Rapids Park, the bell tower at the Keizer Civic Center and the gazebo behind the building.
It will be painted on the side of Los Dos Hermanos, located at 3590 River Road N. The restaurant’s owner, Teresa Munoz, will be featured in the mural.
Lore Christopher, a city councilor liaison on the Keizer Public Arts Commission, and commission member Kim Steen said the commission hopes the art becomes a photo opportunity for visitors.
“We’re anticipating that it’ll be like Insta-art, and people will Instagram that they’re in Keizer,” Christopher said.
The mural is expected to be painted in June by Salem artist Patricia Young. She will be paid $2,400 for the mural, with the arts commission and Keizer Community Foundation each paying half.
Christopher and Steen said the commission identified the building as a potential spot for a mural last fall based on its visibility. The building’s proximity to the Salem border was also a factor, they said.
Following approval from Munoz and the Keizer City Council, the arts commission determined what the mural design would be.
They said other cities across Oregon, including Cottage Grove and Bend, have postcard murals, inspiring the commission to establish one in Keizer. The commission determined most of the Keizer places of interest that will be represented in the painting.
Young anticipates the mural will take her a week to paint, at five or six hours a day. She was asked to paint the mural after the original artist was unable to finish the project.
Munoz said she has long wanted a mural on her building, after noticing one on the side of The REC nearby.
A longtime Keizer resident and business owner, Munoz believes having a mural representing Keizer locations is important and hopes it will help draw customers.
NEWS TIP? Contact reporter Krista Kroiss at [email protected].
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