Nearly eight months after it started, the patriotic mural in downtown Perry’s Josh Davis Plaza was recently completed, just in time for the Fourth of July.

The artwork, which depicts a bald eagle and United States flag over the words “Dedicated to the Service Men and Women,” was commissioned in August of last year by city organizations including Art on the Prairie, Perry Economic Development, and the Nudgers group. The artist chosen for the project was Shawn Palek, who is well known around town for creating the artwork in the Perry Perk Coffee Shop and in Prairie Lane, and is also a frequent participant in Art on the Prairie. He began the painting in October, though due to several unforeseen complications – such as weather and the COVID-19 pandemic – work was delayed.

Palek returned to Perry in recent weeks to finish the job, and on Wednesday the piece was complete. It’s located on the south wall of the Mandarin Cafe, overlooking the plaza named for Perry resident Josh Davis who lost his life while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. It’s over 500 square-feet in size, and took more than 34 hours to create. In addition to the mural itself, Palek also painted a “roll call” banner on the wall, and encourages active and veteran Marines to bring a marker and sign their names.