Organized by Tif Choate, artist

About this Project: Lafayette, Colorado. 80026 It's a place to belong. Some of the things that makes this particular city stand out: it's funky, eclectic style, it's reputation for great art, music and food; and it's love for beauty in nature. We all work to preserve and celebrate what makes Lafayette so special.

My name is Tif Choate. I'm a local artist & public art muralist, here in Boulder County. I am a small business owner of my company, Snail Candy Arts. I'm also a wife of 31 years to my creative husband, Jim, and mom of two great adult sons. I love Lafayette to my core. This community embraces and supports all arts; it recognizes and gives platform to it's multi-faceted cultures. Lafayette is a place that makes room for neurodiversity, nature and neighbors to thrive. What I bring to the table is joy through art. My funky, colorful and whimsical murals can be found all around town as well as up and down the Front Range.

I am in the process of painting my latest art, a 4-side wildlife mural at Waneka Lake Park.

This mural, 'Waneka Lake Treasures' is meant to be a joyful celebration of a beautiful natural lake park that teems with life, all manner of life, a beacon of the rich biodiversity of a loved Colorado waterbody, Waneka Lake - over 30 species will be represented!

This huge project is self-funded, and so I have this page to ask for your help. 

>>> The mural is located at 1600 Caria Dr, Lafayette, CO 80026 on the Pump House, just east of the Boathouse. <<<

The total budget for this project is $15,500. Will you take help us reach this goal? 

- the amount on TOP of this page reflects what we STILL NEED to reach our goals -

Incentives: Levels of Sponsorship

• Great Blue Heron LEVEL: $5,000 >
• Top-tier level Sponsorship recognition throughout all social media and press releases and at the mural’s unveiling celebration. Your business name will be painted into the mural as one of our treasured sponsors. 

• Kingfisher LEVEL: $3,500
• Sponsorship recognition throughout all social media and press releases and at the mural’s unveiling celebration. Your name will be added to this mural or supporting mural [TBA] as a treasured sponsor.
• Rainbow Trout LEVEL: $2,000
• You will be mentioned in our press releases as a sponsor and at the mural’s unveiling celebration, plus  you’ll receive an exclusive commemorative Tshirt, a signed, limited edition print, and an invitation to our After Party.
• Soft-Shelled Turtle LEVEL: $1,000
• Receive a commemorative Tshirt, a signed, limited-edition print, and an invitation to our After Party.
• Canada Goose LEVEL: $500
• Join the artist for an exclusive 1-Day invite to paint on the mural with guidance. plus goodies!
• Red-Winged Blackbird LEVEL: $150
• Signed print of the artwork +exclusive commemorative T-shirt. Thanks
• Pelican LEVEL $100
• Signed print of the artwork
• American Bullfrog LEVEL Donor any.
• High Five! Thank you for your donation! You are an art champion.

I'm really excited that it will serve as an educational piece for all, with the names of the species (in English and Spanish) all on the mural, to learn about many of the species that share this park and lake with us. Some of the species represented in the walls:

Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Hooded Mergansers, Swainson's Hawk, Osprey, Pelican, Canada Geese, Red-winged Blackbird, American Bullfrog, Soft-shelled Turtle, Snapping Turtles, Crayfish, Planorbid Snails ,Catfish, Blue gills, Brook Trout, Bass fish, Insects, butterflies, dragonfly, local aquatic plant and wildflower species, Various People - kids and adults - walking biking and strolling with dogs, more.....

The top half of all sides will represent the above water life, including birds, insects, plants, people, and the beautiful Colorado blue sky. The bottom half is the underwater level, painted all around approximately 8' tall, this will be filled will all manner of aquatic species both flora and fauna and even some thing we may imagine in this world humans can only explore with adaptive apparatuses. Now that's a cool perspective! 

I began painting a large mural September 17, 2024. When the piece is complete, I will have painted a continuous artwork on all four sides of the pump house building at Waneka Lake Park.

Here is a 3-D model of the design:

 Here's some progress photos: