Until last week, the Duluth City Hall cafe was a fairly drab place -- bland-colored walls decorated with a single picture.
This week, the room sports two colorful murals of Duluth landmarks on opposite walls -- a gift from artist and deli manager Terri Wickett.
"I'm a fan of bright, fabulous colors, and the room was so dark and plain," said Wickett, who manages the Duluth Athletic Club delis in City Hall and the St. Louis County Courthouse. "I work here. I want people to see something pretty."
So Wickett, who has painted murals professionally for 12 years, approached city administrative services director Mark McShane with the idea of adding murals in the cafe. McShane was open to the idea, as long as the mural's themes were appropriate for City Hall.
After some thought and research, Wickett settled on a mural of Enger Tower and one of the Lift Bridge.
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"I wanted something Duluth," she said. "This is City Hall."
With McShane's permission, Wickett began painting Wednesday after work. Working Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings and into the weekend, she finished both murals in 21 hours.
"She was so quick. I thought it would take her weeks," Duluth Workforce Development employee Melanie Trosby said during Monday's lunch break.
"They are beautiful," she said. "They should make dining more pleasant."
McShane said he's heard positive reactions to the murals.
"They add color and character to the room, brighten it up," he said. "We're pleased with what she's done. It was an extra bonus that she did it on her own time and at her own cost."
Wickett is happy with how the murals turned out, as is Judy Johnson, who was lunching with Trosby on Monday.
"I don't know which one I like better," the City Clerk's office employee said. "They are gorgeous. She should come to my house."
