Artist Nate Marcel and his son, Orson, work on a mural in the Kelley Engineering building last Saturday. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

Forest Grove-based artists Nate Marcel and Emily Lux spent the weekend in the lobby of the Kelley Engineer Building on campus, transforming a blank wall into an expansive mural depicting scenes of sustainable energy. The duo were chosen to paint the mural by a contest sponsored by the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and have titled their piece “Powered by Sustainability.”

Volunteer painter Jennifer Nitson of Corvallis consults an elaborate grid that indicates which colors go on which section of the wall. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

The artists, who are married, worked on the piece with several volunteers, who are also friends, and their seven-month-old son, Orson, participated from his perch on Marcel’s back in an infant backpack.

This is the biggest piece Marcel has ever worked on. He has included a Beaver in the far left corner, to honor the OSU mascot, and made sure that the piece included shades of orange.

Artists worked late into the night last weekend on a giant mural in the Kelley Engineering Building. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

The couple will complete work on the mural next weekend.