The Trader: Bellevue, Idaho
When Jason, the new owner of The Trader in Bellevue, Idaho, wanted a mural that would welcome people into the Wood River Valley, he needed an exterior mural artist who could capture the Sawtooth Mountains, fly fishing, skiing, and local railroad history without a single brand guideline to work from. I was happy to oblige!
Here's how a blank, textured metal wall on Main Street became a 416 square foot welcome sign for an entire valley.
SUMMARY
In June 2026, Pandr Design Co. painted a 416 square foot exterior mural on Main Street in Bellevue, Idaho for The Trader, a local business under new ownership. The design features the Sawtooth Mountains, fly fishing, skiing, railroad history, and a detailed rendering of the owner's Jeep, painted directly onto a textured metal wall over four days. The finished mural now works as a welcome sign for everyone entering the Wood River Valley and Sun Valley area.
A Small Business Mural Brief With No Brand Guidelines
Jason, the new owner of The Trader in Bellevue, Idaho, came to the project with a clear idea of what he wanted the mural to capture: a large-scale scene that celebrated the neighborhood, the surrounding Wood River Valley, and the natural beauty that makes the area so special.
He wanted the artwork to feel connected to the place itself, bringing together the local landscape, community, and character of Bellevue in a way that felt welcoming and true to The Trader.
Since there were no existing brand colors to work from, I pulled my palette straight from the building itself, so the finished piece would feel like it belonged there instead of looking like it was dropped on top of an existing storefront.
The concept grew into something bigger than a storefront mural. The Trader sits right on Main Street, which means every person driving into town passes this wall, so the design became a kind of gift to the whole community, not just a sign for the business.
Jason wanted people to feel good about the new ownership and the investment being made in the town, and the final piece reflects that: fly fishing, skiing, the area's railroad history, and the Sawtooth Mountains, alongside a handful of non-negotiables Jason specifically asked for, including "The Trader" lettering, his personal Jeep, and ski lifts.
He was involved in every step of the process. We started with two initial concepts and went through two rounds of revisions before landing on the final design.
Designing a Welcome Sign Mural for the Wood River Valley
This is the part of the project that made it more than just a nice-looking wall.
The Trader sits at the point where visitors and residents enter the Wood River Valley, which means this mural now functions as an unofficial welcome sign for Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, and everywhere else in the valley, not just for Bellevue itself. Jason understood that immediately: brand visibility, foot traffic, and community goodwill were all part of the goal, but so was giving the entrance to the valley a landmark worth slowing down for.
That's the kind of wayfinding and placemaking work I love most. A mural doesn't have to sit inside a business to do its job. Positioned right, it can double as a gateway for an entire region.
Related: Pounce Patterns 101: A Guide to Precision Mural Installations
Painting a Mural on Textured Metal
Most walls I paint are flat, which makes the technical side of this project worth calling out on its own.
The Trader's exterior is textured metal, and painting a mural on textured metal means every ridge and groove distorts your linework if you're not accounting for it constantly. Straight lines don't stay straight unless you compensate for the surface underneath them.
This project also called for more realism and fine detail than I typically build into a mural, especially in Jason's Jeep and the American flag worked into the design.
Between the level of detail and the textured surface working against me the whole time, this was one of the more technically demanding pieces I've painted this year, and also one of the most satisfying once it came together.
Four Days, Three Assistants, and One Finicky Lift
This 416 square foot mural came together over four days with the help of three assistants, Melissa Nalbach, Allison Hunsley, and Shay Kennedy. Jason wanted the piece finished ahead of the Fourth of July, and we had a little rain moving in toward the end of the week, so the timeline mattered more than usual.
The lift we were delivered for this job was old and unreliable, working maybe half the time. Whenever it did cooperate, I prioritized getting as much of the top half of the mural done as possible, so that once it inevitably stopped working again, we could finish the rest of the piece from ladders instead of losing days waiting on it.
We also had the lift company send someone out to troubleshoot the equipment twice over the course of the project. It wasn't the smoothest install logistically, but we still finished with time to spare before the rain moved in.
Related: How Long Does it Take to Paint a Mural
Community Goodwill on Main Street in Bellevue, Idaho
One of the best parts of painting on Main Street is that you meet the town while you work. People stopped by throughout the week to ask about the project, and every interaction was kind and genuinely appreciative. It's a small thing, but it says a lot about a community when strangers go out of their way to make a visiting crew feel welcome.
The project also picked up some local coverage. The Idaho Mountain Express featured the mural, and The Trader shared both photos and a video recap on Facebook:
A Personal Trip Through the Sawtooth Mountains
This project doubled as Allison and Melissa's first trip to Idaho, and mine too in this part of the state. We built in a little time after painting to actually explore the area around the Sawtooth Mountains, and it's one of the most beautiful parts of the country I've had the chance to work in.
We're already talking about finding a reason to come back!
The most memorable moment of the trip had nothing to do with painting. We were out to lunch on a break from the wall and spotted Jamie Lee Curtis at a nearby table. Apparently a fair number of celebrities have homes tucked into that part of the valley, which was not something I expected walking into a small-town mural project.
FAQ
Can you paint a mural on textured metal?
Yes. It takes more planning than a flat wall since every ridge and groove can distort straight lines and fine detail, but textured metal is absolutely paintable with the right technique.
How much does a mural cost for a small business?
Costs depend on square footage, detail level, and site conditions. This 416 square foot mural, completed over four days with a three-person crew, is a reasonable benchmark for a similarly scoped small business project. Learn more here!
Do you paint murals outside of California?
Yes. Pandr travels nationally for mural work, and this project in Bellevue, Idaho is a good example of that, alongside projects painted from coast to coast. Browse our mural portfolio here!
What makes a mural function as a wayfinding landmark?
Positioning matters as much as the design itself. A mural placed at a natural entry point, like the edge of a town or valley, can double as a landmark without needing heavy branding to do it.
How long does a mural like this take to complete?
This project took four days with three assistants, though timelines shift based on square footage, surface conditions, and design complexity.
Need a Muralist?
If your business sits somewhere that could use a mural like this one, whether it's a storefront, a gateway into town, or anywhere in between, reach out and let's talk about it.
And if you're a muralist curious about tackling a tricky surface like textured metal, or about pricing a project like this one for your own client, that's exactly the kind of thing I break down in coaching sessions.
