Cobbler Mural Breaks onto the Scene

The new paint job in the gym features a large, explosive Cobbler, painted by a South Dakota artist and teacher.

Central High School has added a tough, aggressive Cobbler to the aura of the Naanz Gymnasium. David Fuller, a well-known artist and teacher in Parker, South Dakota, painted the mural during the summer break. It took him between four and five days, during which he painted between eight and fourteen hours a day.

“Central’s mascot was a tough mascot to draw,” he says. “It was challenging because the mascot was very simple and I was not sure what a Cobbler was. I hopefully came up with a more 3D looking mascot and people will now know what a Cobbler is.”

The reaction of students has been overwhelmingly positive. Sam Seljeskog, a varsity volleyball player, claims the mural “adds a lot to our gym.” Another Central athlete, Maria Bunkers, appreciates the energy of the image: “The colors just really pop. It’s like he’s actually jumping out of the wall.” Staff members like TJ Hay, a former Central student and current head basketball coach, are also pleased with it. “It’s nice to see something new,” he says.

The mural is the first mural Fuller has painted on the western half of the state, though he’s painted many in Sioux Falls area during the past twelve years. “I usually paint four to five murals during the summer,” he says.

fuller painter — David Fuller is an art teacher and painter in Parker, South Dakota.

Not only is Fuller highly involved in the community as an artist, but he is highly involved at Parker High School. This past summer Fuller’s art students won the Vans Custom Culture shoe design contest. “We won a trip to California and beat everyone in the country and the grand prize was $50,000.”

How did he develop such skill? Through countless hours and years of practice. “I started drawing when I was very young. My mom and dad bought me books on drawing and I would draw things and see if they looked like the photo.”