Our Muralists
Larry Kassell
Larry was a gifted painter, photographer, typographer, writer, graphic designer, oil painter and musician. His artistic career began as an illustrator for the U.S. Airforce, then employment with several other design venues before striking out on his own in 1976. For Silverton, Larry chose to paint the Keith Kaser, The Veteran’s Poem, Silverton’s Sweetheart, and Silverton Healthcare History murals like designing an oversized poster or magazine ad: engaging visuals with attention grabbing headlines and supporting text.
Murals by Larry Kassell
David McDonald
David made his first mural on wide paper tacked to the walls while in elementary school. While serving in the U.S. Army, David painted pictures on the barrack walls in his free time.
David has worked in the theatre as a set designer. Although he has worked in many facets of art, he enjoys murals the most.
David says, “climbing on a scaffold in the fresh air bringing a little color and interest to a big blank wall…that’s a satisfying challenge.”
David works at Roth’s Fresh Market in Silverton, hand illustrating in-store chalk signs.
Murals by David McDonald
Lori L Rodrigues
Lori Rodrigues, formerly Webb, was born and raised in Central Oregon. She took up art as a child, often drawing so large that her subjects fell off the page.
Moving to the Willamette Valley in 1992, Lori was Inspired by Silverton’s rich history. She heard stories about the famous old oak tree, ‘Bobbie the Wonder Dog’, Homer Davenport’s quest to bring Arabian horses to America. Visiting the museum, she saw images captured by a man soon to become her hero, photographer June Drake, credited with saving Silver Falls as a state park. Rodrigues began painting murals on these stories in 1995. With more than 20 murals, her projects can be seen in several Oregon State Parks, Heritage Sites, at the state fairgrounds, in Saint Paul, and throughout Silverton.
Lori has been an artist at Lunaria Gallery since 2006 and works mostly in acrylics and watercolors. She is also available for commissioned projects, large and small. She is now dedicated to her art full time at Silver Stream Studio.
Murals by Lori L Rodrigues
Roger Cooke
Roger Cooke was an American Artist and muralist. His work is best known for its historical depictions of Native American tribes. He has painted over 60 murals, many in small towns along the Oregon Trail. He built this national reputation while living and working from his studio on the bank of the Sandy River, the place he and his family loved best. In this idyllic setting, God’s creation was an inspiration and creativity flowed freely to produce the fine paintings, bronze sculptures, illustrations, murals, and portraits for which he was noted.
Murals by Roger Cooke
Kelly Farrah
Kelly Farrah worked at a sawmill in Georgia, as a gunfighter at Knott’s Berry Farm, worked in a flintlock gun shop, taught high school art, illustrated books, dealt in Native American quill and beadwork and reenacted as a Civil War Soldier.
He has also worked in the film industry on films such as Glory, Gettysburg, Last of the Mohicans, and the Pirates of the Carribean. Some of the paintings and props he’s made are on permanent display at the Smithsonian.
Murals by Kelly Farrah
- Silverton Red Sox
- Silverton Air Field
Kathryn Bennett
Kathryn Bennett began painting small murals and borders in residences in 2003 and was a costume designer for a few theatres. She joined the Silverton Mural Society and helped to restore murals before painting Paws for Love. During this time, Kathryn attended Chemeketa Community College and Western Oregon University and has earned tow BA degrees in Studio Art and Anthropology.
while living and working from his studio on the bank of the Sandy River, the place he and his family loved best. In this idyllic setting, God’s creation was an inspiration and creativity flowed freely to produce the fine paintings, bronze sculptures, illustrations, murals, and portraits for which he was noted.
Murals by Kathryn Bennett
Tonya Smithburg
Tonya Smithburg has been repairing murals in Silverton since 2009 when Lori Webb introduced her to the Mural Society. Since then, every summer she goes around to assess the damage from the weather and sets to work restoring. In 2012 Tonya received her first mural project: The Harvey Mikkelson Steam-Up Festival located on the side of the Elks Lodge.
Then in 2014 the opportunity to recreate the Norman Rockwell Four Freedom Murals was presented. The murals had been previously painted in town twenty years earlier by David McDonald but then the building was torn down in 2014. The murals took Tonya two years to complete. They were painted on panels on what was then Seven Brides Brewery.
Tonya has been an artist her whole life working in mostly acrylic and oil paints. Her original artwork can be found sprinkled about in businesses in downtown Silverton.
Murals by Tonya Smithburg
Michelle Mulkey
Michelle Mulkey moved to Silverton in 1998 from Grants Pass to attend a small bible college that was once located at Canyonview Camp. There she met her future husband and after the wedding moved onto her husband’s family’s Century Farm in the Silverton hills.
After finishing schooling at WOU for teaching and starting a family, Michelle met Vince Till in 2007. Having done a few mural jobs previously, Michelle was hired by Vince to help touch-up murals for the Silverton Mural Society during the summers.
Working every summer re-painting whichever mural needed of the most attention, Michelle enjoyed gaining 11 years experience working with oil enamel paint and painting out in the elements.
In 2018 Canyonview Camp asked if she would be willing to create and paint a mural celebrating their ministries in Silverton over the past decades. She was thrilled to create the mural celebrating a place that has touched so many lives over the years. (Dale Price on the mural even performed her wedding ceremony)
Currently Michelle continues to paint, teach art classes & homeschool her six children.
Murals by Michelle Mulkey
