STEVIE IPSEN
Special to the Record-Bee
RED BLUFF ? In a small, quaint neighborhood in northern Red Bluff, the giant mural in Frank Van Meter”s driveway was hard for those driving down Luning Street to miss.
What may even be harder to believe is that the 27 by 25 foot painting took Van Meter a total of three days to paint. Technically, Van Meter said, the painting took less time than that, since he started it on Friday afternoon and painted only in the early morning and late at night.
“I have to be picky about when I paint. The heat of the sun can make paint blending hard,” Van Meter said.
The mural, which was finished on Monday, was taken apart and packaged on Tuesday and shipped to Sacramento on Wednesday where it will be put back together before the State Fair starts. Van Meter is hopeful that those who have been to Clear Lake in Lake County will immediately recognize the mural”s scene.
Shannon Van Meter said she was watching her husband paint when a neighbor was walking by. Shannon repeated the neighbor”s reaction, “She said, oh my, that looks just like Clear Lake,” Shannon laughed. “She had no idea that was exactly what it was supposed to look like.”
Frank Van Meter was asked early in July to paint a mural for Lake County”s exhibit at the State Fair.
From on top of a ladder watching his dad, the Van Meter”s young son said,
“Lake County got silver for the last two years. This year, they will get the gold medal.”
Frank said the judging will take place on Aug. 16. He doesn”t know if he will drive down for the judging but is anticipating the outcome. Frank Van Meter is an artist by choice and by trade. He said he had the option to go to college and have it fully paid for, but said he was foolish not to go.
Some would argue that Van Meter is doing just fine at what he does best. He admits that the things he had taught himself are hard to learn in a classroom.
From stucco work and plaster repair, there are not many media that Van Meter is not an expert in.
Tile murals are a particular favorite, but Van Meter said his love will always be painting. When he was asked why he loves it so much, Van Meter compared his view of painting to a line in the movie
“Chariots of Fire” when a character said, “God made me fast. When I run I feel this pleasure.”
Van Meter smiled when he said, “God made me a painter, and painting gives me pleasure.”
Anyone interested in seeing Frank Van Meter”s finished work of art can do so in the County Expo Building at the California State Fair, Aug. 17 to Sept. 3.
Stevie Ipsen is a staff writer for the Record-Bee”s sister paper, the Red Bluff Daily News, and he can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114, or sipsen@redbluffdailynews.com.
