A young Pleasant View artist recently had the opportunity to show off her talent in a major way.
Katherine Staton, the 12-year-old daughter of Pleasant View’s T’Juana and David Staton, painted a large mural at Creech Ladders & Racks in Nashville.
The large-scale mural, depicting a company van and the Nashville skyline, showcases the spirit of the city and the ever-growing business of Creech Ladders & Racks.
“The finished work definitely reflects the ever-growing, ever-expanding business of Creech Ladders & Racks,” says David, a longtime employee of the successful retail company that has sold top-of-the-line equipment for trucks and vans for over three decades.
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Getting her start early, when she was just 11, Katherine began her own business, Painted Pets by Katherine. Since then, she has done portraits of pets—everything from lizards to horses—for people all over the United States.
“We were amazed when she came back from her first art lesson with a portrait of her dog that was absolutely incredible,” says T’Juana. “Her focus was painting animals, and after her first few lessons, her art teacher, Sonja Dimeola of Ashland City, told us that Katherine has a unique ability to really bring animals to life on canvas.”
When Katherine was ready to go beyond animal portraits and make her mark on something larger, Ron Creech, owner of Creech Ladders & Racks, gave the budding artist the wall in his store to work her magic. And with that wall, he gave young Katherine a chance to turn a dream into reality.
“I am grateful for being given this opportunity at such a young age,” she says. “It meant so much to know that Mr. Ron Creech had enough faith in me to paint a wall for his business. I owe a lot to my incredibly supportive teacher, Mrs. Sonja DiMeola, whose passion for art is contagious. I am glad I caught it.”
Katherine’s mural can be seen at the longtime retail establishment which is located at 2507 Nolensville Pike. Samples of her other work can be viewed on her Facebook page: Painted Pets by Katherine.
