The artist behind a new mural brightening downtown Pella is returning to celebrate the project. Ryan Bentizinger is a teaching artist in Iowa City and a Pella-native, and helped create a large painting on the wall of Int’Velds Meat Market in the Oost Poort Alley. Bentzinger says he and his family based in Pella spent close to 200 hours over several weeks completing a Dutch renaissance-inspired landscape.

“We thought Pella would appreciate a 17th Century Dutch renaissance style painting, and of course, I had my own little twist to it and made it more Iowa-like.”

Bentzinger is returning to Pella for an artist’s reception on Saturday, October 12th from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Alley between 818 and 820 Main Street in Pella.