Washougal muralist Travis London hopes latest work ‘adds value to the park’

The Camas-Washougal Pickleball Club is infusing new life into an old building with a little help from a well-known local artist and the city of Washougal.

The CWPC, an arm of the Vancouver-based Columbia River Pickleball Club, recently received $800 from the city of Washougal to cover the south side of the pump house next to Hathaway Park’s Wolfe Courts with a mural painted by Washougal artist Travis London.

“This building is really drab,” CWPC President Lynda Boesel said. “I went to one of Travis’ shows at the Camas Library, and I told my husband, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we did something on that building? It would really be a great thing for the community.’”

Boesel met with London and the Washougal muralist said he was interested in the proposal.

“I thought I could create something that would align my skills with their idea,” London said. “I liked how they wanted to enhance the structure with art, nature and the sport of pickleball, and pay tribute to their club founder.”

London is known in the Camas-Washougal area for the many public murals he’s painted in Washougal over the past 20 years.

“He was my first thought because I knew he had done those murals, and a lot of his artwork involves animals,” Boesel said.

The mural that will soon grace the pump house near Wolfe Courts will feature an adult wolf and several pups, a nod to Wolfe Courts and CWPC founder Mike Wolfe, as well as pickleballs and pickleball paddles.

“It’s a pretty cool design,” Boesel said. “We talked to Travis about what we wanted included, and he came up with something, and we said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’”

London said he and Boesel worked to create a design that “organically fits the space.”