It’s that cathartic moment that’s familiar to many in northern California agriculture. The feel and scent of productive soil between your fingers as the sun peeks over the horizon to start another day of growth in one of the richest agricultural regions on earth. It’s an experience close to Colleen Gnos’ heart, so when she was commissioned to capture that moment in a 60-foot mural entitled “Gazing Into Infinity” on the side of the Grow West Inland Terminal facility in Woodland, she knew exactly the feeling behind the moment the massive painting would capture. 

“Dad used to take off at 3:00 in the morning every summer day. When I was 8 or 9 years old, I would go with him to check fields. I’d watch him scoop up a handful of soil and smell it right at sunrise,” said San Luis Obispo-based Gnos, who grew up in agriculture in the Woodland area. “This mural gave me the chance to celebrate growing up a farmer’s daughter. It gave me the chance to celebrate agriculture as the industry that drives the area.” 

Gnos was originally commissioned to paint the mural in 2012 after the new Inland Terminal building was constructed and, through a community arts program, earmarked for an art installation of some kind. Gnos’ brother had long purchased fertilizer from the plant and helped connect the artist and musician with the Grow West team to start the project.  

After creating seven different versions of her inspiration for the massive painting, Grow West leadership picked what Gnos considers the most “emotional piece” from the options presented, and she got to work, completing the first version later that year and refreshing it in 2019. Then, when a January 2023 storm damaged the building, around one third of the mural was lost. So Gnos got back to work again in summer 2023 to repaint her “celebration of agriculture.”   

Painting a mural 60 feet wide is not an easy task, especially when it’s 65 feet off the ground. Armed with around 30 gallons of paint in 81 different colors and specialized brushes, primer and clearcoat to protect the mural, she got started on the process she said mirrors the experience she shared with her father in his fields as a child.   

“It’s so quiet up there at 5:00 in the morning,” Gnos said of the boom lift that took her around 65 feet up to begin the mural restoration. “The only time we could do it was late July and early August, the hottest time of the year. It’s hard work. But it’s all about creating something that bears witness to the majesty of nature and the hard work of agriculture.” 

Repainting the mural took Gnos just over 30 working days. For her guide, she used a smaller mockup of the picture with a grid superimposed over it; each inch on her mockup translated to three feet on the wall of the Inland Terminal building.  

“You wash and prime the wall, then create the grid with a contractor’s chalk line, all 20 or 30 feet at a time so the chalk line wouldn’t break or sag in the middle,” Gnos said, adding her husband Che Miller played a huge role in helping her complete the mural. “About half the time, I was wondering what I was doing. I often got overwhelmed. But you have to surrender to the process,” Gnos said. “Just show up and do the work, and it works out. It’s intimidating, but I think that’s why we do it. It feels really amazing when you can accomplish something like that.” 

Now that the Inland Terminal building mural is complete, Gnos said she hopes “Gazing Into Infinity” not just contributes to the local art scene, but also serves as a reminder to residents and visitors alike of the importance of agriculture to the Woodland area, including the role of Grow West and its team.  

“There are a lot of disconnects between the general public and agriculture. I hope this can help elevate where our food comes from and generate some appreciation for the families who make it their lives,” Gnos said. “I want it to honor agriculture.” 

• Watch progress on the mural near its completion 
• See more photos and videos of Gnos’ process