Rural mural

The splatter paint on Michael Colvin’s clothing tells a story about how he spends his days.

His hands and skin have a rainbow of colors splashed all over them, which continues to grow.

Colvin works around the Sedalia area as a muralist. His work can be seen on many businesses such as State Fair Spirits, Malone’s on Main, and many areas of the Missouri State Fair grounds.

Colvin worked for the Department of Agriculture at the Missouri State Fairgrounds for 33 years.

“I painted all of the buildings and all of the signs,” Colvin said.

Colvin said he never had much training as an artist and only studied for one year at State Fair Community College.

“I never thought I would be a painter, never. I just watched other people and began to like it,” Colvin said.

Colvin did his first mural at State Fair Spirits in 2000.

“I learned by watching others and looking and trying different things. I mix colors and see what looks best,” he said.

Colvin begins by talking with his client and understanding exactly what they want. He sketches out a design and then draws it free handed onto the desired surface. The next step is the paint. Colvin uses a thinner based enamel paint that he said works on just about anything. Wide brushes help to fill in holes or cracks in things like concrete and smaller brushes are used for more detailed work.

“Every job is different and you have to figure it out, it is not the same thing everyday,” he said.

For almost every piece of artwork he has done he can recall a story to go with it. He has traveled all over Missouri and has done work in California and Texas.

Colvin’s latest piece is on the sides of a retaining wall at George Wolf’s home in Sedalia.

“I saw his work at Malone’s and I said, that’s what I want,” Wolf said. “I knew what I wanted but I didn’t exactly know how I wanted it. I told him what I wanted and he ran with it.”

His artwork includes a detailed painting of Wolf’s house and an outdoor scene. A typical mural can take Colvin anywhere from two to four weeks to complete.

“I like doing scenery art,” Colvin said.

Colvin’s latest love is working with rocks.

“I am just getting into sculptures and I just love to do them,” he said.