Pete Hodapp is a Minnesota-born artist who attended the Minnesota Center for Arts Education. Afterward, he built his skills through hands-on work in screen printing and sign painting, drawn to art that’s accessible and shared. His mural on the side of Driftless Books reflects that approach, blending familiar imagery with unexpected details to invite curiosity rather than prescribe interpretation.

This mural was very intentional for me. Unlike some of my other work, this one definitely has meaning built in even if people come away with their own interpretations. I’m a big admirer of propaganda posters, their clarity, their directness, and power to communicate quickly. With this mural, I leaned into that mindset. Propaganda works whether you agree with it or not, and sometimes the message lands differently than intended.

At the center is a book resting on a plate. Nearby, a wine glass has shattered, spilling its contents. An inkwell is tipped over, ink pouring out beside it. Together, these elements reflect the long, complicated relationship between writing and alcohol, something that shows up again and again in literary history. There are plenty of writers who produced incredible work while also struggling deeply with drinking, and this mural is meant to acknowledge that tension rather than romanticize it.

The palette is intentionally restrained: mostly black and white, with small hits of red that sharpen the contrast. I was challenging myself to see if I could make something that felt strong and complete without relying on a wide range of color, which is a pretty constant tool with murals.

Reaching up from below are hands painted with a lot of attention to anatomy. Over time, they’ve faded more than the rest of the piece and taken on a rougher, almost zombie-like quality than they had at first. That wasn’t planned, but it’s where the mural has landed.

Black and white is the ultimate challenge. Do the most possible with the least amount of resources or colors. It is always a serious challenge and one I have devoted most of my time to. Using color is nearly a relief!

My advice for artists is to always keep a sketch book handy and draw daily. If you can make beautiful work in just black and white, when you add color, it is simply frosting on the cake!