Heber’s Main Street has a colorful new addition. A bright mural of Mount Timpanogos and Deer Creek Reservoir, dotted with hot air balloons and flowers, now graces Granny’s Drive In.
It’s the newest public art piece by Cheyenne Renee Marcus, a Virginia-based artist who’s now completed 21 murals in small towns all over the country, from Arkansas to Idaho.
She put the finishing touches on the Heber mural Tuesday, after a busy Memorial Day weekend painting and chatting with residents.
“I got to meet a lot of kids and families that are local, and they were so much fun to talk to, especially about the items in the mural that stand out to them or that were familiar to them,” she said. “So that was very cool.”
Marcus came to Heber after a few people nominated it to be her Utah location. For the city, which has added several downtown murals over the past few years, it was a natural fit.
The city’s Trails, Arts and Parks tax and the Community Alliance for Main Street helped fund the artistic addition.
CAMS Executive Director Rachel Kahler said it’s the first of Heber’s murals created by a woman.
Despite never having been to Heber before, Marcus recognized Timpanogos as a beloved landmark.
“When I was up on the scaffolding, I had a perfect view of the mountain ridge – so I can actually see the mountain ridge that I’m painting from where I was painting,” she said.
She said she’s enjoying exploring towns across America. As part of her “50 in 50” project, she’s also filming a documentary to highlight each community.
Marcus said she hopes the film will inspire people to see the country through a new lens.
“Maybe they’re inspired to think differently about how they travel and how they spend their money when they travel, and how impactful tourism can be to small communities – but also just how interesting your relationships and experiences can be when you travel to smaller places,” she said.
Now, her work joins other bursts of color on Heber’s Main Street, including Bart the Bear, a rainbow trout, a postcard-like wall with the city’s name and more.
Marcus’s goal is to finish 29 more murals by the end of the year to complete the “50 in 50” project.
Next stop, Montana.
