Giant French Chef

We've said before how some murals exist all on their own, while others reflect the business that resides in the building serving as the canvass. Such is the case with the giant French chef on the side of Encore Catering in Englewood.

Okay, truth be told, I don't know if this guy is French. He could be Italian. Heck, he could be an Australian with a penchant for thin mustaches. Whatever the case may be, he clearly doesn't have a problem with sippin' a bit of the vino while cookin' up dinner.

This mural is located at 3139 S Broadway in Englewood, on the north side of the building.

Historic Englewood Post Office and Mural

Probably most folks wouldn't consider a post office to be a destination when visiting a place. However, if you are someone interested in history, you might want to stop by for a quick look at the historic post office in Englewood. It's not like going to an amusement park or something...but there are a few interesting things to see.

The post office was built in 1938 as a New Deal construction project. Up until then, Englewood's mail came through Denver, but the suburb was growing rapidly and in need of its own services. It was the first federal building constructed in Englewood. A big groundbreaking event took place in 1937, complete with speeches and a performance by the Englewood High School Marching Band.

Beyond the classic architecture of the building itself, the most unique feature of the post office is the mural in the lobby. Once upon a time, many post offices had murals but they are tough to find now. Very few still exist, and even fewer exist in their original locations. 

The mural was created by Boardman Robinson, who is considered by many to be the founder of the American mural movement. This is his only post office mural and one of only three of his murals that still reside in their original locations. The mural is called Colorado Stock Sale. It was completed in 1940 and is actually based on the artist's second idea for the piece. The sketches submitted for the first were deemed too "frivolous."

The US Postal Service decided to close the Englewood post office in 2010, but the outcry from the community caused a quick change of plans. Eventually, the building ended up on the National Registry of Historic places.

This historic structure, and its historic mural, are located at 3330 S Broadway in downtown Englewood.

Twin Dragon Mural

Many businesses around the Denver area have made their exterior walls available to artists for murals. A lot of these murals are left up to the imagination of the artists, but occasionally they do relate to the business that serves as the canvas. Such is the case with this piece on South Broadway (SoBo).

On the north side of the Twin Dragon restaurant in Englewood, you will find this unique mural featuring, you guessed it, twin dragons! Find the mural at 3021 S Broadway in Englewood. I hear the food's pretty tasty, too!

Under the Bridge

On a recent visit to downtown Castle Rock, south of Denver, I happened upon some slightly hidden bits of artwork. In Festival Park, you will find a trail that takes you underneath Perry St. There on the underside of the bridge, you will find some silhouettes depicting various outdoor activities. 

The opposite side features a number of tiles painted with various images and messages from the children of Castle Rock. Of course, those kiddos are twentysomethings now, as many of the tiles seem to have been dated in the year 2000.

Both of these displays could stand to have someone give them a bit of a cleaning, but it's still fun to find these hidden bits of artistic expression. Festival Park is located at 300 2nd Street in downtown Castle Rock, Colorado.

Mural - Family Star Montessori

Denver is a fantastic city for street art and murals. On one of my recent excursions, I came across this piece that graces the south side of Family Star Montessori, located at the corner of Federal Blvd and 22nd Ave in Denver.

This mural was painted by street artist Bimmer Torres with assistance from a group of youth from a local detention facility. The colors of this beautiful piece really pop in the Colorado sunlight. Find it at 2246 Federal Blvd in Denver.

Bob Marley says "Parking in Rear"

Murals are everywhere in Denver...and I dig it.  It's just another way to make the city a bit more interesting.

Now, there is a section of South Broadway, or SoBo, in Denver known as the "Green Mile."  It's actually more like a two-mile stretch, but the distance isn't what most people are focused on.  The thing people are focused on is the high concentration of legal cannabis-related businesses in the area.  It's a different sort of Rocky Mountain High, and it's big business here.  So, I guess it's appropriate that in the heart of the Green Mile, Bob Marley himself shows up in mural form to give parking advice.

This particular mural is at 1800 S Broadway in Denver, right at the intersection of Broadway and Colorado Ave.