If you’ve driven down Boulevard Road lately, you may have noticed a new 36-foot high mural as part of the scenery. Over the course of five days in July, a huge orca whale, galaxy swirls, a bright coral reef, and a glowing mountain came to life on the side of David Goerig’s home.
The mural was dreamed up by Goerig and painted by his friend, Max Ehrman, a street artist from San Francisco. With no windows or other features on the street-facing side of the home, Goerig had always thought a mural would be a good fit.
“What a huge, open canvas,” he says. “It’s just perfect.”
This year, the time seemed right to tease that idea into reality—and Goerig wanted an orca whale to serve as the mural’s focal point.
An orca whale is the mascot of Olympia Regional Learning Academy (ORLA), Goerig’s neighborhood school. Three of his four children attend ORLA—the fourth will join as a kindergartener next year—and Goerig and his kids had been doing their best to get through distance learning while staying connected to community.
“There’s been a lot of bummer around school, and to do this mural—it just picks up the neighborhood and is a cool thing to be seen by all and shared by all,” says Goerig, “It gives people something positive to look at every day.”
Goerig said there’s been a bit of a buzz on Facebook, where pictures of the mural have been making the rounds. One person even commented that they’ve changed their walking route to be able to pass by the new art. As the mural was being painted, people would honk, shout and give praise. People would stop to take a picture.
“There’s been so much positive feedback,” says Goerig, whose kids have also enjoyed the transformation, spending time with the artist, and seeing the tribute to their school.
ORLA administration has even taken notice. Goerig had let Principal Celeste Waltermeyer know about the mural plans at the end of school last year, and as summer passed and school planning had to pivot, Waltermeyer hadn’t given much thought to the mural. She remembers the idea, she says, but didn’t fathom the impact it would have.
“I was driving back to my first day of work, and I was just like ‘Wow’,” shares Waltermeyer. “I didn’t realize how big it would be! It’s just so beautiful and bright.”
“I think most people driving by don’t realize the connection, but the Goerig family has been a huge supporter of ORLA and Montessori,” she continues. “We are the home of the ORLA Orcas and so it’s just so fun to see this big, beautiful mural.”
Other ORLA community members share the sentiment.
“I’m not embarrassed to admit that I cried; I thought it was so sweet,” says ORLA parent Erica Conrad. “The programs and people are so amazing and have so much dedication to the school and the kids. I was just really pleased to see the mural, it’s really beautiful.”
Another important part of the mural is Mt. Rainier, which Ehrman brought into the vision, and to which Goerig quickly agreed.
“The mountain is my foundation, my rock,” Goerig shares. “No matter where you are, you can look around and it’s there—it’s what grounds this part of the Northwest.”
The rest of the mural features a bright coral reef and a galaxy full of stars. Hot pinks, deep purples, and cool blues and greens play on the edges of the wall, bringing brightness and whimsy to the breaching whale’s background.
“It was important that it was bright and vibrant. It needed to pop,” says Goerig. “Sometimes life can be dreary, and you’ve got to bring your own light into the world.”
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