Surf City Dog Patio Getting Makeover

Aptos High Artists Turning Wall Into Unique Mural

By Michael Oppenheimer

Surf City Coffee Company in Aptos (and Scotts Valley) has always been a dog-friendly environment for its loyal customers, a nice place to stop and grab a refreshing drink while out on a nice walk or run with man’s best friend.

Now, thanks to the AP Studio Art class at Aptos High School, the dog patio is getting a brand new look.

With their college portfolios finished, the students were ready to work on their end-of-year mural, normally a project that takes place on campus, either finding a new blank wall to play on or replacing a fading past painting.

But two months ago, teacher Veronique Marks was contacted by Surf City owner Suzanne McCourt about letting her talented students tackle a “real-world” job to finish off their class.

“I loved the idea,” Marks said. “A project like this gives the class experience working on a contract job in the public and also brightens up our community.”

McCourt had been thinking about the mural on the dog patio for a while, having received some designs over the winter from family friend Andy Lewis, a professional designer in Australia, who was visiting family and friends for the holidays.

“I’ve always wanted a mural on the building and I’ve enjoyed Andy’s drawings since he was a kid growing up around here,” McCourt said. “I asked him if he’d throw some ideas my way and he gave me some beautiful drawings to choose from.”

McCourt and Marks decided to make the project a full experience for the class, turning over all creative control to the students and letting them do all the planning, staging and executing. Rebecca “Beky” Bell and Rachel Martin were named project managers and began making plans soon after their final projects (the college portfolios) were finished.

“Suzanne brought in [Andy’s] pictures and the students were thrilled,” Marks said. “They looked over them and picked a couple specific pieces to draw elements from. The final mural is going to look great.”

After seeing the plans and the first morning painting in pictures, McCourt is happy about the progress.

“I was so excited to see pictures as the kids started painting on the patio,” she said. “I think this is going to turn out wonderfully.”

McCourt is happy to see the students’ work going up in a public forum.

“I wanted to see [the students] use their creative energies,” she said. “It’s not bad for their résumés either.”

The project will take three weeks to complete. Stage one took place Thursday, May 16, and will be finished over the next two Thursdays, with prep work for each stage being done in the classroom between painting sessions.

“We’re excited and having fun,” Martin said. “We’re definitely going to finish on time!”

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Surf City Coffee Company is a locally-owned company with locations in Aptos and Scotts Valley. For more information about the company visit www.surfcitycoffee.com.