ARVADA, Colo. — A new mural is bringing brightness, beauty and business into Olde Town Arvada.
Patrick Maxcy has been hard at work to bring his design to life on the north side of Rheinlander Bakery.
"I've done art my entire life. I've done art and murals full-time for the last 15-plus years," Maxcy told Denver7. "I think I painted my first mural when I was 16, so it's just always been a part of me. Growing up, I painted a ton around Colorado, all around the US. even parts of the world, including Central America, Africa."
This is not his first time doing work in Olde Town. He painted one of the first electrical boxes in the area and won the Olde Town Shindig Mural Contest last year.
"I love that Arvada has opened up to letting artists be a little more creative and fun. I had a lot of say in my concept... and they loved it," said Maxcy. "So, the octopus is actually my favorite animal. They're extremely smart and intelligent, and I really love painting them in Colorado, a place that you would not normally see them."
- Listen to Maxcy talk about his work in the video player below
As people stop to see his work, they then follow the sweet smell of baked goods into Rheinlander Bakery. While there is an abundance of treats to choose from, there is also an ode to the work being done outside with cookies in the shape of a paintbrush and palette.
Luke Naftz, one of the owners of Rheinlander Bakery, saw Maxcy's work in the contest last year and was thrilled that his talents would be showcased on the building.
"Since it's a big building, it's a great eye-catch just for the whole district, as well," Naftz said. "So it's really nice to be able to actually finally get one on our building."
Joe Hengstler, director of the Old Town Arvada Business Improvement District, said there is a design code in place since it is a historic area. By bringing murals into the area, city officials hope the art will draw more people in to visit and stop into local businesses.
"It's a little bit of everything, right, and it allows us to highlight and support what is such a vibrant arts community around the metro area," Hengstler said. "It also attracts visitors and gives them a chance to not only enjoy the art, but, 'Hey, take a selfie in front of it,' help us promote the district, come down and see some of the cool things that we're doing."
Hengstler said they are seeing more people come year after year, and these murals help welcome both longtime residents and first-time visitors.
"It does welcome them in and gives them a reason to, if you weren't going to keep walking, now, you're going to keep walking, right? We always try to add those little bits of magic or surprise to keep you moving through," explained Hengstler. "So you don't just go to the one business, that, you know, you linger a little bit longer, you might discover something new, and you might find your new favorite business that you never even knew was down here."
Maxcy plans to finish the mural on Tuesday and hopes other projects like this continue in Arvada. When looking at his art, he said he hides "fun little things" for people to discover —so keep your eyes peeled!
- On July 25, we're heading to Arvada to share the stories of community members there – the positive stories, the challenges and everything in between – and produce a set of special on-location newscasts. Do you have a story that needs to be told in Arvada? Fill out the contact form below to hit the Denver7 | Your Voice team, and we’ll take your input to community leaders as part of the special Denver7 | Your Voice broadcast.
