"Age of The Cool People" by Storm Ritter
There is a 60-foot dream on the side of the Blur Nightclub at 325 Main Street.
I came across it on a quiet afternoon. At first, it was just a muralâcolorful, large, hard to miss. But the longer I stood there, the more it pulled me in. Figures emerged from the composition. Details revealed themselves. The Earth, the Sun, the Star, and the Moon. Tarot imagery. Astrological symbols. And woven throughout, "The Cool People"âperforming what the artist calls "a tale of creative fulfillment."
I felt at peace. I felt like I was standing inside someone's imagination.
The Artist Behind the WallÂ
The mural is the work of Storm Ritter, a surrealist painter and muralist whose style feels like an old-world storybook filtered through a modern dreamscape. In 2022, she was commissioned to create this piece on the east side of the Blur Nightclub building in downtown Dunedin.
The result is "Age of The Cool People"âa surrealist experience designed to be discovered slowly.
"Hidden within the large scale composition are multitudes of small details and whimsical stories," Ritter explains on her website. "It's intended for the viewer to discover something new, bringing visitors back again and again."
The mural was painted over 21 days, from 8 a.m. until night, with Ritter working from a mechanical lift.
She did not use stencils or projections. Instead, she painted freehand, using a small reference painting on wood panels as her only guide . That original designâpainted on three wood panelsâwas displayed on an easel at the base of the wall while she worked.
Photographer Lisa Sampietro documented the process, capturing both the artist at work and the intricate details as they emerged.
Once the mural was complete, two of the original wood panel paintings were sold to collectors. The third was gifted to the building's owners.
Ritter describes her work as having "an attention to detail and vintage shading techniques reminiscent of an old world storybook." A gold trim runs around the building, framing the scene.
Visitors are encouraged to look closely. The Cool People are everywhereâembedded in the composition, hidden in plain sight. The longer you look, the more you see.
Since its creation, the mural has become a destination for local mural tours and a landmark for anyone walking through downtown Dunedin.
Location Blur Nightclub, 325 Main Street, Dunedin (east side of building)
Inside Fine art featuring The Cool People is also displayed inside the establishment
I went to look at a mural. I found a place to stand still.
There is something about work made by hand, at that scale, without shortcuts, that asks you to slow down. I did. And I am glad.
If you have not stood in front of "Age of The Cool People" yet, take a walk to 325 Main Street. Give yourself 10 minutes. Look for the details.
The Cool People are waiting
đ Learn More About the Artist
Visit Storm Ritter's website: stormritter.com
Source: "Age of The Cool People" by Storm Ritter
