Harro Paints the Town Of Hoodsport

Local artist, Harro Scharbau, recently shared with Fjord what inspired him to begin his journey to cover the walls of local businesses with colorful murals. In his own words, Harro shares how his artwork is nuturing community in Hoodsport.

While driving through Hoodsport, the sun broke through the clouds and created a rainbow halo around the sun. I pulled off of Hwy 101 into the parking lot at Laurie's Gifts to get a better view of the rainbow. While readying my phone for a picture, I couldn't stop staring at the side of a building. I suddenly forgot about the rainbow and started taking pictures of the side of Hoodsport Coffee Co. instead.

Harro Scharbau IV, artist

The building was in need of a pressure wash and paint job but I could see the potential for art. This sunny south facing wall of the historic building was perfect for a mural. Being right on Hwy 101 with great visibility and a fire lane means no parked vehicles can block the view of the artwork.

Inside of Hoodsport Coffee Co. I found the owner operator, Ruth Beaven, behind the counter. After ordering a cup of coffee, I asked her if she was the building owner as well. Finding a business owner that also owns the building is rare, but in Hoodsport it seems to be the norm.

Always looking to attract more customers and keep up necessary maintenance on a building built in1932, Ruth was on board. Preserving the building's exterior while making a customer-attracting mural to brighten up the town served multi purposes.

Deciding on the mural subject matter was hard because there is so many activities to do in Hoodsport. Unparalleled scuba brings divers from around the world to Hood Canal to dive on octopus dens called "holes." The giant Pacific octopus is always a crowd favorite for young and old alike.

When sourcing the paint for the mural it was important to keep the money as local as possible. Ruth told me of her working relationship with McLendon's Hardware in Belfair. We reached out to Katelyn Graham and told her of our large paint order and she offered to help.

Even with Hwy 101 running through Hoodsport, it is such a walkable town. While painting the mural, I met business owners walking through town on their way to the bank or post office. All of them introduced themselves and thanked me for brightening up their day or their town with art. Some of the business owners even asked if I would paint their building next.

One of the business owners that I was approached by was Brian & Coleen McLees, owners of Sunshine Creations NW. They told me about their art gallery opening up just on the other side of the building and asked if I was interested painting a mural for them as well.

The Hays building built in 1930, once was a Texaco service station, and is now the home to Sunshine Creations Northwest art gallery. The building's exterior mural wall was in need or repair or replacement. After the failing siding was removed it revealed the original cinderblock walls of the building's 1930 exterior. I love to paint a historic buildings exterior, choosing to highlight the surfaces flaws instead of fixing and covering them up. It lets the building character come out of the past and into the light of modern day to tell its story.

With two colorful marine murals side by side that corner of Hoodsport catches attention.

Working in Hoodsport on different buildings gave me the opportunity to meet locals who's families had once owned the building or the business that I was currently turning into art. They were happy to give me the run down on the businesses that had once been inside the historic buildings. Such nice people willing to share their stories of their town's history made me feel like a local.

In a town that is a renown destination it is understandable that so many people come through to visit. Nevertheless, Hoodsport is still very much a small town, welcoming visitors to stop and enjoy the gentle pace. I hope this summer you will make it out to Hoodsport to enjoy the murals I am painting. I will be on the streets there all summer helping bring the vision of mural-town to life. So if you happen to see me painting murals, please stop and say hello, I can't wait to meet you.

More information on Harro and his work can be found at harro4art.com. Harro's Art is available for purchase at these Puget Sound businesses:

Lowercase Brewing, Seattle; Octapas Cafe, Olympia ;Alderbrook Resort & Spa, Union ;Union City Market, Union ;Sunshine Creations NW, Hoodsport