Ben Fisher coordinated the efforts of 23 fellow artists who collaborated on a mural that will decorate the wooden walkway bypassing the sidewalk in front of the construction site. Durango Downtown Coordinator Bob Kunkel said he expects the construction, and therefore the mural, to last about nine months.

"We made something that's been really nasty look beautiful," Fisher said at Thursday's debut of the mural.

The 23 artists painted 28 separate scenes on 4-foot-square particleboard panels that line the interior and exterior of the walkway. Fisher said there is still space for about 10 more panels, and he anticipates they will be completed in the next couple of weeks.

Most of the artists worked on their paintings in the Discovery Museum for several weeks. Some designs are typical representations of life in Durango - rivers, mountains and wildlife - while others are more cutting edge. Fisher affixed a paint-splattered mountain bike to one of his panels, and other three-dimensional works included a snowboard on a field of green and a colorful collage with a pair of headphones attached.

All of those present agreed that while the mural reflects the diverse creativity of the artists involved, some of Durango's legendary rabble-rousers could put some of the works in jeopardy.

"I'd like to think people would respect what these people have done, but I also wouldn't be surprised if they were gone tonight," Kunkel said of the chances that the headphones or bicycle could survive a night downtown.

When construction is completed, Fisher and Kunkel said the artists will have the option of keeping their paintings or auctioning them off with proceeds going to the Downtown Disaster Relief Fund. All of the artists volunteered their time, but Jasper Welch presented each artist with a $50 gift card from the Business Improvement District for dining - or otherwise - at a number of downtown restaurants.

"I hope to see you in the Mahogany Grille for dinner instead of the Diamond Belle Saloon, but it's good in both places," Welch quipped.

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