COTTAGE GROVE – Cottage Grove officials unveiled a gifted teaser mural last weekend in anticipation of The Walldogs visiting town in August 2027.
The temporary mural sits on the backside of the Little Caesars at 24 N. 9th Street and can be seen from the Highway 99 and Main Street intersection. The mural was donated and delivered to CG by the Portland group called The Walldogs.
The Walldogs are a group of worldwide recognized artists who take over one city per year. The skilled painters and muralists from around the world restore and create historic artwork. Recent projects by The Walldogs have been done in Illinois, New Hampshire, and Indiana.
Cottage Grove will be just the third West Coast town the group has visited. In the summer of 2027, around 300 artists will come to town and paint 15 murals in four days.
Last Friday at noon, dozens of folks gathered in the parking lot of the Cottage Grove Public Market and faced a black canvas with black sheets covering a mural.
Mayor Candace Solesbee said it was the first time in Walldogs’ history that a mural had been gifted. The only thing the city had to pay for was the cost of the supplies.
“It is such an honor,” she said.
After a 10-second countdown, the black sheets covering the mural were pulled back, revealing a vibrant retro painting. The mural shows a gold frame wrapped around a colorful sunset of yellow, orange, purple, and dark blue. Oregon maple and fir trees line the horizon. On both sides of a white covered bridge are film reels with scenes from movies made in Cottage Grove. Theater-style print reads “Walldogs are Coming Cottage Grove Aug 2027” in the center of the painting.
Solesbee said when the group of 300 artists comes next year, they will spend four days painting 15 new murals around town and touching up two already existing ones. She said they will replace this teaser mural with a new, permanent one.
