While in the northwest to paint a salmon mural in Terrace, Nanaimo artist, Jeff King, was asked to touch up his first mural in Prince Rupert and he opened what he calls a ‘can of worms’.
“This wall is an issue,” he said, then picking up one of the many hunks of paint — with moss on it — that had flaked off the wall.
The iconic whale tale mural painted on the side of Johnny’s Machine Shop, built in the 1960s, was in need of a major restoration due to water damage.
READ MORE: Whale tail benches installed across city
King was in Terrace on July 10, and was asked if he would touch up the wall in Cow Bay. He started on July 30, and hopes to be done by the end of the week before the rain hits.
“If I have decent weather til the end of the week I could get it all done,” he said from outside his van, three large drooling dogs by his side. “We didn’t expect this to be the can of worms it was.”
Three days later, after peeling off the worst of the moss and old paint the wall looks nearly as fresh as it did after he completed it in 2011.
When asked if there are any other murals for Prince Rupert in the near future, he shook his head and said not this year.
READ MORE: Glen Saunders wants to paint the town
shannon.lough@thenorthernview.com
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