(Riverton, WY) – A rented lift and enough cans of spray paint to be the envy of any inner-city tagger sat outside the Korell Center, the former Wind River Heritage Center on South Federal. Cheyenne artist James Overstreet was busy creating a striking image of a bison charging across a grassy meadow dotted with Indian Paintbrush against the backdrop of a morning sunrise.
The painting graces the west-facing wall, the one easily visible from South Federal Boulevard. It will be an eye-catching attraction to the Korell Center, named for the legendary trapper and local rancher Jake Korell.
Overstreet is a Cheyenne native who has done many murals around the capital city and others in Cody.
“They found me online a few months ago,” Overstreet said. “I love painting and the creativity.”
Overstreet studied art at the University of Wyoming and then in Colorado and found his niche at the end of a spray can nozzle.
The mural at the Korell Center features three layers of latex paint. A primer coat, the base layer, and then the detailed image.
“I use professional-grade spray paint,” Overstreet said.
He takes an image, tweaks it with Photoshop, and gets the finished design.
“I outline the design on a wall at night with a projector,” Overstreet said.
He started the project last Monday evening and finished Friday afternoon.
The Korell Center has a half-log façade, which presents both challenge and opportunity.
“The logs give the painting depth,” Overstreet said. “I never dreamed I’d be a full-time artist going around the state. It’s a dream come true.”
“We’re excited about the process of rehabilitating the Korell Center,” Wyoming Historical Society Director Aley Philp said. “We hope this is the foundation of something much bigger.”