Sultan uses tech to restore post office murals

Sultan residents gathered last week to dedicate the newly refurbished "Historical Scenes of the Sultan Fire DepartmentGÇ¥ mural, which has been digitally reproduced to match what it looked like when it was first painted by artist David Hose in 2009.

The three-panel mural decorates the exterior of the Sultan Post Office, which formerly housed the city's fire department. Meant to honor and memorialize different eras in the history of the Sultan Fire Department, it features actual firefighters who have lived and worked in Sultan over the years. A group of volunteers were initially inspired to seek the mural, said Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick, during the city's centennial celebration in 2005.

Led by local volunteer Sandy Delvecchio, the committee was formed in 2004. The group organized monthly celebrations to commemorate the city's upcoming landmark birthday. -á -á

"After the final birthday celebration in June of 2005, the centennial committee had a surplus in the bank,GÇ¥ Eslick said. "They unanimously agreed to hire David Hose, the muralist, to paint real firefighters on what used to be the bay doors of the Sultan Fire Department.GÇ¥

Snohomish County Fire District 5 Chief Merlin Halverson is featured on the mural, as is Lt. Ron Bertholf. The mural captures moments in Sky Valley history as they truly occurred, such as longtime Sultan resident Doris Jelinek, who would arrive at the fire station with lunch for her husband, Louis. Now 101 years old, Jelinek still lives near town. Louis died in 1992.-á -á

The mural faded dramatically over time, exposure to the elements causing the paint to peel away. Community members started contemplating ways to fix it, trying to figure out the best method of preserving the iconic piece of art.

"It was agreed that the mural should not be restored using the traditional methods but using something new,GÇ¥ Eslick said.

It was First Baptist Church of Sultan Pastor Steve Boek who came up with a solution. A sign maker for 25 years, Boek introduced a new technology that allowed high-resolution photographs to be printed on an adhesive vinyl material, which was then sheeted onto panels. Once they obtained Hose's blessing to refurbish his work, they just needed the funding to complete the job.

And high-quality digital photographs of the original paintings.-á

"That's where Ray Coleman comes in, our historian,GÇ¥ Eslick said.

A Gold Bar resident, Coleman has attended numerous valley celebrations and ribbon-cutting events over the years. He located photos he took of the mural shortly after Hose completed it in 2009, which Boek determined would work perfectly for what he had in mind. The newly formed Sky Valley Arts Council spearheaded fundraising efforts for the project.

Project manager Debbie Copple said it was one of the council's very first endeavors.

They began spreading the word, she said, and numerous media outlets shined a spotlight on what they were trying to do. Donations began coming in from all over the region. A man from Auburn even had a yard sale, taking the bus all the way to Sultan to deliver the funds he raised to support their efforts.-á

Copple said it was a perfect example of how things get accomplished in the Sky Valley.

"We're very, very excited about it because of the historical connections and the baseline of service that our community is famous for. That's what we really wanted to honor,GÇ¥ Copple said. "These pictures represent more than just people doing a job; they represent the whole fabric of the community here in the Sky Valley and what we all stand for.GÇ¥

As the project began to gain momentum in 2015, Hose told Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce members that the Sultan firefighters mural was one of the most inspiring murals he's done in the Sky Valley. He added his signature to the newly refurbished artwork during last week's rededication ceremony.

"I'd just like to thank Sultan, because you're part of what makes America great, and I believe this nation wouldn't be here if it wasn't for people like you,GÇ¥ Hose said. "That's why I was inspired to do this mural.GÇ¥