Denver artist paints over iconic 'Love This City' mural to create a new one with the community

Artist Pat Milbery painted the original "Love This City" mural in 2016. A decade later, he's revitalizing the design to incorporate more of what makes Denver unique and this time, he's bringing residents into the process to paint alongside him.

"The first round, I never involved people in the process, so this round, [I] decided to bring the community in because we all are our hearts together are Denver," Milbery said.

The decision to cover up the original mural wasn't easy.

"To completely cover this wall up and start fresh was a challenging decision. I had a lot of hesitation, but I listened to my heart and I listened to my gut. [They] told me that it's time to refresh this mural."

For Milbery, the new mural belongs to everyone who takes part in it.

"The intention is, it's not mine, right? It's everyone's. It's whatever someone wants this art to be, however they want it to feel. So, for community to be involved with the process is exciting," Milbery said.

Even people who don't consider themselves artists came out to leave their mark on something that will live on for years to come. With a little guidance from a professional, anyone could contribute.

Lauren Cowden, a Denver resident, said painting over the old design and reimagining it was a powerful experience.

"It's transformational to come out here and paint over something that you did, and then reimagine it and redesign it with your community in mind," Cowden said.

For resident Dameda Finney, the day was about connection.

"It's really important for me to be together, be in community, and doing things that uplift us as a people," Finney said.

The Veterans Day community event also served as a fundraiser for Veterans Exploration Therapy, a nonprofit that uses adventure to get veterans off the couch and into the world.

Founder Deke Letson said the organization's mission is about giving veterans a sense of purpose.

"What we really do is we create connections, we create purpose, and we really try to show these veterans that 'Hey, there's a reason to wake up tomorrow,'" Letson said.

Milbery expects the new mural to be completed before Thanksgiving.

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