Seems the scandal of telling an artist what NOT to paint has garnered attention beyond our narrow shores. Not since the scuffle  in Bemidji has any beaver painting got this much attention. You remember that story right? The artwork was said to look suspiciously like female genitalia and it was removed. The artist protested that it was praying hands and eventually got some friends to help restore it.

Well Martinez didn’t have the same restorative outcome, but it gathered some national attention none-the-less. Take this article from the St. Petersburg Times in  Tampa Bay Florida for example,

Artistic impression: City: Mural doesn’t need dam beaver

Artist Mario Alfaro was commissioned to paint a mural celebrating the town of Martinez, Calif. It was to include pastoral scenes, native sons John Muir and Joe DiMaggio, bayscapes and other things relevant to the area. Alfaro included a beaver in his homage, because the city has a few of those that have made themselves known in somewhat expensive ways… Alfaro complied with removing the rodent, but painted over his signature while he was at it. “I feel they do not respect me,” he said. “It was really a very small beaver.”

Or this UPI (located in Washington DC)

Odd News Artist ordered to paint over mural beaver

Martinez officials said they had artist Mario Alfaro paint over the beaver because the animal, while beloved by city residents, does not belong on the downtown mural alongside images of Martinez natives including John Muir and Joe DiMaggio, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.

Or the The SOP (student operated press)

Outrage: City Officials Force Artist To Paint Over Beaver In A Mural

(Which originally ran a picture of a nutria, but kindly switched for one of Cheryl’s when I contacted them about the mistake.)

A true artist doesn`t think in a linear fashion, and he doesn`t see randomness as an aberration, but as a constant in life. In Afaro`s artistic vision including a beaver alongside images representing the city of Martinez makes perfect sense.

Most of the residents of Martinez loved the beaver, and it`s a damn shame that the visionary was forced to paint over the beloved animal, because a few philistines complained.In a world teeming with rats, snakes, and politicians, we need more, not less beavers.

Or my personal favorite…from the Eric Milikin’s blog at the Detroit Free Press

San Francisco Chronicle says: “Everything was looking great in the mural … except for one thing: the beaver. …’I feel they do not respect me,’ said artist and Martinez resident Mario Alfaro …’Every day, people ask me, Where is the beaver? So I want to please the people and I put in a beaver. It was really a very small beaver. But the city did not want it.'”

And then the best part….

Eric says: Without the beaver, that mural won’t be worth a dam.

Thanks Eric. I couldn’t have said it better myself!