Washington has finally received their reward for winning the 2022 #IowansUntie CommUNITY Contest, as the new downtown mural has been completed. Adorning the side of the HR Block building, the postcard-style mural features several highlights of Washington, including the World’s Oldest Continually Operating Theatre, being the barn quilt county capital, the rolling hills of corn and beans, the Hispanic community, and the rocket slide.

Ben Schuh was the artist behind the final product, and as a muralist from Iowa, he has designed many murals for Iowa cities, including Des Moines and, most recently, Knoxville. Schuh talked with KCII about his unique approach to organizing everything to design a mural. 

“So, I look at everything like a 4-H project because I grew up in 4-H. I do a lot of research. I spend time with each town to identify points of interest. By working with local people, I’m able to get an idea of what they want in the mural. I’ve already been provided with a lot of information, so I will cross-reference it with my own research to maximize the murals’ success.”

A celebration and a ribbon cutting with Schuh and several community partners are planned for Wednesday, October 19th, from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.