The Walldogs from Pontiac completed the painting of Sutton's Gardens on the north side of Pop's Sweet Shop at the corner of Sixth and Chestnut.  The work started on Monday night, June 7, when an image of the painting was projected onto the wall and the main features of the sign were outlined. The painters started their work on Tuesday morning and finished the sign on Thursday afternoon.

The painting was made from a picture of Sutton's Garden in 1936.  The gardens were located along North Chestnut Street between 10th and 11th streets.  The gardens were started as a memorial to W. G Sutton's daughter who died at an early age.  Sutton was the owner of the Minonk Coal Mine.

The painting is a nice addition to downtown Minonk and thanks go to Harold Tjaden of Tjaden Construction for making the sign possible.  There are other old brick buildings in Minonk which would be made attractive with signs of a similar quality.

The Walldogs are a group of sign & mural artists from all over who get together to paint signs.  Bill and Jane Diaz , owners of Diaz Sign Art in Pontiac, were instrumental artists in the Sutton's Garden sign.  Jane's late parents, Henry and Bertha Kalkwarf, were prominent residents of Minonk for many years.  To learn more about the Walldogs, click here.

Below are photographs taken during the sign painting project.

Below Noah Medley who helped with the sign painting poses in front of the completed sign.

A view of the sign from the corner of Sixth and Chestnut.

A sign for Tjaden Construction sponsors of the sign was painted to the right of the Sutton sign.

The project got off to a fast start as this was the first day of the sign painting.

Bystanders had a shelter to sit under and watch the Walldogs at work.

On the left are Bill and Jane Diaz, Walldogs from Pontiac, having a lunch break.

Below are the signatures of the artists who participated in the sign painting.  From the left is Bill Diaz,  Eric Elmgren, Don Hulsey, Tom Dunham, and Noah Medley.