"The Museum of Northwest Colorado is known for its number of extremely rare and historically significant artifacts. In early 2021 we added one more: a spectacular mural that happens to be the world’s largest watercolor ever painted! Measuring-in at a whopping 16’x10’, this new world-record painting greets visitors as they walk through the museum’s front doors. It dethrones the previous record of a 15’x8’ watercolor residing in the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art," the official website says.

"The new mural, titled “Western Reflections”, was painted in-house over 3 months in late 2020 by local artist, Israel Holloway. “I wanted to create something that represents our local heritage, connects to the museum’s Western collection and shows the power and beauty of the real, living West that still exists in Craig today,” said Holloway.

"Paul Knowles, the museum’s Assistant Director, spearheaded the project. “Our goal is to be more than just a typical small-town museum, so we always tend to think big. When the idea of creating a new mural came up, the thoughts immediately centered on how to make it a truly remarkable piece,” said Knowles. “The finished piece certainly stands on its own as a stunning work of art; the fact that it’s a world-record just makes it that much sweeter”

"The model used as the main subject for the painting is Clint Chew and his horse Arrow walking in the Yampa River. The Chew family has ranching roots in both Utah and Colorado that go all the way back to the late 1800s which adds sincere authenticity to the local painting.Be sure to set aside time to stop by the museum and experience this magnificent piece of art."

"The idea came to Knowles not too long after the city took over the museum. The back of the museum was covered by a massive mural, and Knowles wanted to see if there was a way to use that space for something even more impressive. I wasn’t sure if watercolor was a medium you could do in the size of a mural, and I looked it up and it turns out it’s not, it’s not really something many people have ever done," Knowles said, the 9News reports.

""I discovered that the largest one ever done was actually 15-foot by eight-foot," Knowles said. "I ran out here and measured our mural. It was 16-foot by 10-foot and I realized if we did pursue it, that it would be a world record painting in addition to just an amazing piece of art to kind of represent the West and this area as well."

"In a current sense, I wanted to represent the lifestyle here. It’s, 'we have a harsh climate, we get some hard winters, but there’s very resilient people here,'" Holloway said. "It’s a hard lifestyle but it is rewarding and that’s what I like about this piece is he’s taking a moment to pause from his work, really look down."

"Watercolor is a dance between human intention and the uncontrollable nature of water. For me it's the perfect balance of what I want to portray and what the water wants to do. I embrace the traditional technique of eliminating white paint from my palette. Colors and highlights are created using the purest transparent watercolors, water, and the 'white' of the paper only," the Israel Holloway Fine Art website says.

"I love an engaging composition with a strong center of interest, a dominant overall color and areas for the eyes to rest, but most of my pieces are also about exploring the human condition and our inner responses to our outer world. I think when we look at a piece of art we also see the artist, so I'm trying to explore honesty, resilience, humility, and certainly beauty in my art and life.

"I look for an expression of inner peace, something I hope for in myself and in humanity as a whole. I also hope that the overall body of work portrays the real living west that still exists today. I try to capture honest moments and expressions and rarely ask a subject to pose."

"Israel Holloway is the artist of the large watercolor. Clint Chew is the cowboy in the picture. His family has lived in Northwest Colorado for more than 120 years. They’ll both be there," the Steamboat Radio says.

"Plus there will be some signed limit prints available with a silent auction for the #1 print. Stop by the museum any time on Friday, but the official unveiling ceremony will be from around 5-6:30 p.m. The Museum of Northwest Colorado is at 590 Yampa Avenue in Craig."

"Holloway is primarily known as a watercolor artist; the medium, he says, best expresses his voice. He relishes letting the transparent watercolors build up in thin layers and mix on the paper. He describes the process as “a dance between human intention and the uncontrollable nature of water,” the Southwest Art reports.

"The curator at the Museum of Northwest Colorado in Craig has commissioned Holloway to create the largest watercolor in the world, measuring 10 by 16 feet. The painting that currently claims that title, at 8 by 15 feet, hangs at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

"Holloway’s massive masterpiece will depict a cowboy on horseback galloping through a western landscape, conveying a sense of power and freedom. “I’ll paint the piece flat on the museum floor and tiptoe around it wearing two layers of socks on the area I’m not painting that day,” he says. “I may have to use my kitchen mop for the larger washes. I don’t know yet, but that’s what makes it fun.”