Muralist making art out of Sultan-Monroe Masonic Lodge

The brothers of the Sultan-Monroe Masonic Lodge #160 have commissioned local muralist David Hose to transform the side of the lodge into a piece of art.

The Monroe Masonic Center is located on Lewis Street, and is home to the Sultan-Masonic Lodge #160, the Floral Chapter #117 Order of the Eastern Star and Monroe Chamber of Commerce.

The vibrant design will feature the Masonic Square and compasses, along with portraits of George Washington, frontiersman Davy Crockett, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and famed jazz musician Duke Ellington, all of whom were freemasons. Below the portraits, Hose plans on incorporating various elements of the Sky Valley, including farmland, a red barn, Holstein cattle, mountains and trees.

"There's going to be a train coming through the Cascade Tunnel, farmland, HolsteinsGǪ Just the whole beauty of this area,Gǥ Hose said.

Last week, Hose began penciling the design onto the south side of the building. He uses a regular pencil to sketch in the shapes and paints with heavy-duty all-weather acrylic paint. He wants to have the mural completed by November, and Hose hopes the weather permits it. He would prefer to have it done before the temperature gets too low.

"I just want people to feel good when they see it,GÇ¥ Hose said.