At this month's ArtWalk, Tomlinson Sotheby's International Realty will celebrate the community effort that transformed a blank white wall into one of Coeur d'Alene's most recognizable murals.

The public is invited to a plaque dedication ceremony Friday at 6 p.m. at the "Welcome to Coeur d'Alene" mural, located at 223 E. Sherman Ave. Artist Gabrielle Lewis and Tomlinson Sotheby's President Rob Orth will share the story behind the mural, and a raffle will give attendees the chance to win an original framed piece by Lewis valued at $500.

"Community members who enjoy art and happen upon it will get a wonderful surprise," Lewis said.

Orth conceived the project during a business trip to Nashville, where he was inspired by the city's colorful street art. He wanted to bring something similar to the blank stucco wall of Sotheby's Coeur d'Alene office. Given the mural's prominent downtown location, he said it needed to be a design that would appeal to a broad audience.

"How do you create a piece of art that is received well by everybody? It's really hard," Orth said. "As a real estate company, we represent everyone in the community. We don't want to offend anyone."

When Lewis proposed a design featuring North Idaho's iconic scenery and wildlife, Sotheby's embraced the idea. Today, Orth and Lewis reflect on how the mural has become a local landmark, bringing a splash of color to Coeur d'Alene during the winter months.

"Anyone who comes downtown now has to get a picture in front of the mural," Orth said.

The mural was funded entirely through community contributions, and the plaque dedication ceremony will recognize the sponsors who helped bring the project to life. STCU and Shiki Sushi Bar provided the largest financial contributions. Other sponsors include Kootenai Health, Century 21 Beutler & Associates, Lakeside Companies and the Coeur d'Alene Arts Commission.

Lewis began work on the mural in the winter of 2025 and completed it at the end of the summer. Along the way, members of the public were invited to contribute a paint stroke and received a commemorative sticker in return. Students from the Emerge Summer Arts Program also spent a day helping with the project while learning how to apply their painting skills to a real-life project.

The mural is a true community endeavor, and Lewis felt a traditional plaque would not fully capture the contributions of the businesses and individuals involved. She designed the colorful, multilayered plaque herself, which was fabricated by Dave Haney.

"This is still a creative opportunity," Lewis said. "We wanted to create a really good taste in people’s mouths when they thought about this.”

"We didn't just want some flat thing," Orth added.

The plaque dedication ceremony is part of Sotheby's ArtWalk festivities, which will include live music, wine and charcuterie from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday. The Sotheby's office, which was previously an art gallery, will be open to the public with several works of art on display. Prints featuring a portion of Lewis' "Welcome to Coeur d'Alene" mural will also be available for purchase.

    Artist Gabrielle Lewis and Sotheby's President Rob Orth with the new dedicatory plaque designed by Lewis on the "Welcome to Coeur d'Alene" mural.
  

    Artist Gabrielle Lewis with her original art piece to be raffled off at ArtWalk on Sept. 11 in front of her "Welcome to Coeur d'Alene" mural.