Thanks to a mural alongside Calaveras Coin & Pawn, Mark Twain has made a posthumous return to the county.
“He is alive and well in Angels Camp,” said JG Designs owner and Sonora resident Judy Grossman, who painted the mural of the famous author.
Twain’s visage has even hit the Facebook feed; both Grossman and pawnbroker Gerad Slayton said they’ve seen photo posts from both visitors and residents posing in front of the mural.
The complete painting is 8- by 13-feet – the largest known Mark Twain mural in existence, Slayton said.
After Slayton designed the mural on Photoshop and Grossman printed it to size, the mural itself took Grossman about 32 hours to complete. She estimated it will stay in good condition for the next decade.
Giving the composition an optical illusion of three dimensions, Grossman used one of her signature techniques: trompe l’oeil, French for “deceive the eye.” To do this, she used two timbers to frame the image and cast shadows from the seemingly solid forms, ultimately forcing the impression that a hole in the building opens up to a mine shaft.
Anne Forrest, president of Destination Angels Camp, said she is pleased with the result.
“I think that it definitely adds to the look and the feel of downtown,” she said. “Particularly coming in from the south, it adds to the charm.”
Grossman said she loves to paint public art, and this piece is exposed to thousands of people every day. City Planning Director David Hanham estimated 10,000 to 14,000 vehicles a day travel down Main Street.
“Having historic murals is one of the best forms of tourist attraction,” Grossman said.
But the mural didn’t go up without a fight.
Before the building housed Calaveras Coin & Pawn, it was home to Angels Camp Hotel, where Twain first heard the tale of the jumping frog. As such, it is a federally recognized historic building, and the city had to consult with a historian to ensure the mural wouldn’t deface or affect its significance or promote the business within it.
“We just wanted to embrace our heritage and go with it,” Slayton said.
Grossman added that the mural says something about the store, too.
“It shows their pride of ownership,” she said. “If people respond to the outside, they know they can expect a lot inside.”
Forrest vouched for this.
“It has so many interesting things in it,” she said. “For residents and visitors alike, it’s a wonderful place to browse. Not only will it serve the local community, but it is one of those quirky and interesting shops that visitors love to browse around.”
Slayton said the shop owners wanted to dedicate the mural to the memory of the former owner Howard Wesely, who passed away last year.
“If it wasn’t for him, none of this would be possible,” he said.
Scott May, who owns the store with his mother Merinna May-Wesely, said the mural was also meant as a gift to the community and tourists of Angels Camp. The store was recently relocated just four doors down from its former location, and he said the move has not hindered the business.
“We have not skipped a beat and for that we are very thankful,” May said. “We are so appreciative for the wonderful customers who have done business with us for 20 years and continue to at our corner location in historic downtown.”
