For the past 30 years, a large mural has welcomed visitors to Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area. Located on the front of a barn, the original mural, painted in the early 1990s, served to greet visitors and reassure them that they had found the park.

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In November 2021, two members of the Hollister Hills Interpretation team, myself and  Elise Fleishman, finished painting a brand-new mural in this same location. The old mural was faded and peeling and needed to be redone. The process started in June with the removal of the old mural via power washing, sanding and scraping. The barn was then primed, and a new design was transferred with a projector at night. When it was time to paint, two all-staff painting days helped complete the literally enormous project, which was approximately 30-feet tall and 60-feet wide. It was a “barn” good time.

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The mural’s new design I created honors the old by highlighting the landscape and, additionally, celebrates the different user groups and natural history of Hollister Hills. Can you spot the all-terrain vehicle rider, horseback rider, hikers and truck in the mural?

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Today, the barn stands fully painted, varnished and ready to greet and guide the public for years to come.