In spring of 2018, I was asked to create a mosaic mural for Mud Bay Pet Stores’ headquarters as a gift to the founding owners for the 30th anniversary of the business. We decided on a photo-realistic rendering of Mud Bay, the beautiful area just at the edge of Olympia’s West Side that features mud flats that fill and empty with water with the tides. Highway 101 passes through Mud Bay and there are a few small businesses at the exit to The Evergreen State College, but it feels like a nature preserve. Each time I go to Olympia, I look forward to the moment I reach Mud Bay, as it is always different. I will see bald eagles, hawks, blue herons, elk and other wildlife, and the valley changes character with the angle of light, weather and seasons. Additionally, 2018 marked my own 30th anniversary of moving to this area from Michigan at age 18; a huge rite of passage as I created a new life in a place that felt absolutely right for me. And I remember that little feed store, and watched it grow into a successful chain that has thrived in the face of competition from big box pet stores by doing the opposite of conventional wisdom: They became employee-owned, paying their staff an average of $21/hour plus benefits, and firmly committing to high-quality products instead of lowering prices. They have veterinary advisers for their stores and your pet’s health is their priority, and they also celebrate diversity and social justice. (You can tell I learned a lot more about this company while working with them, and became a big fan.)
This is a small mural at 4′ x 6′ on kerdi board (foam-core tile substrate) that I fabricated in my studio and delivered ready to install, with anchors incorporated into the frame.
