Cutthroat Rainbow
Cutthroat Trout Rainbow, Laramie WY Rec Center, Design by Paul Taylor, Mike Gray, Rebecca and Ferne Watson, painted by Rec Center SACC kids,Oct 2014, 5' x 18'
This “Caring for Country” mural was inspired by the powerful Australian Aboriginal Rainbow Snake, the great Spirit Ancestor who created the water and rivers all over the world.
Rainbow here represents our Laramie River with a Cutthroat Trout headdress and tail as he winds his way from his source in the Snowy Range, passing through Laramie on his way to the Laramie Range. The Cutthroat is our Wyoming state fish. The dots represent life-giving rain and snow and all the living things that walk this beautiful land… the plants, birds, animals, insects, and people.
The town of Laramie is represented by our traditional colors of brown & gold, and the dots represent all the people and children of this great town that are fed by the water. The top black areas represent the Medicine Bow Range and the bottom black areas the Laramie Range. The white dots represent the rain and snow. They also represent the stars, the campfires of our grandparents who have passed away and are keeping watch on us from the stars, reminding us to care for our land and water.
This mural was painted by the Recreation Center SACC kids of Fall 2014 and designed by Artist in Residence Paul Taylor together with Mike Gray, Rebecca Watson and Ferne Watson. Mike Gray created the Cutthroat Trout Headdress. Special thanks to SACC Director, Cindy Stoffers who dreamed this mural.
