A giraffe stretching out to grab a morsel from the tender top of a tree at sunset is captured in the latest mural to adorn the front of a building in Boulder City. This unusual presentation is featured on the office of Dr. Eldon Clothier. The Clothiers have long been interested in the animals, scenery and atmosphere of the “Dark Continent.” Two sculptures, an elephant and a hippopotamus, guard the mural along with scattered boulders. The theme continues inside the office with more sculptures, plants, masks and a video of “Jungle Book” playing while you wait your turn.

Margie Clothier is the talented artist responsible for this recent and very colorful addition to the Boulder City art scene. She started to take art classes while her children were young and fell in love with the different media and processes of producing artwork. When they moved to Boulder City in 1976 Margie continued her study of art. She took a watercolor painting class from Cindy Bandy, but still felt a little insecure in her knowledge of the basics and felt she needed more information about drawing. It was then she found a drawing class taught by Happy Hoekenga through the Boulder City Parks and Recreation Department. Part of Happy’s class focused on the right-side of the brain studies. “All of the sudden, it all clicked for me!” Margie exclaimed. The exercises Happy taught had a great influence on Mrs. Clothier and gave her the confidence to continue her artwork.

Margie had an idea of what she wanted to paint on the front of the office building, but was reluctant to try such a big project. Connie Ferraro, local muralist, urged Margie to “go for it.” Dr. Clothier built a scaffold for the height- challenged artist to reach the top of the acrylic painting, and the mural gradually came to life. Humble about her final results, Margie quips, “I just hold the brush and God moves my hand.”