Snow and wind can make for some pretty brutal scenes across Wyoming during winter, but on storefronts in Douglas, it’s always a peaceful wonderland of dazzling snowscapes.
Caya Construction is one of those, with snowy scenes facing West Center Street.
It’s a return to form for local resident Dan Downs. It’s the first time he’s created these frosty frescoes in a snowy state.
“I used to do this in California in my 20s,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “I’m 45 now, and I’ve never done one of these in Wyoming. This is the first picture I’ve done in over 20 years.”
A Little Frosty
There isn’t much frost in California, so you’d expect Downs to be more than a little frosty returning to window art after 20 years.
“For the short time I did window painting when I was younger, it was simple stuff,” he said. “Sale signs or cartoons. But I did dozens and dozens of those over the years.”
Downs has spent most of his life in the fitness industry, selling supplements and offering personal training. He’s always considered himself a multimedia artist on the side.
“I designed a mural for a high school’s weight room 25 years ago,” he said. “I was known for drawing superheroes then, so it was natural to design that for a weight room. But I’ve mostly stuck to building art out of junk, like driftwood and discarded materials.”
There haven’t been any artistic awards of accolades bestowed upon Downs during his life, but that’s never what it’s been about. He took on the Caya Construction gig after his wife asked if he’d decorate their storefront for the season.
“I never tried to enter any competitions or make a real living as an artist,” he said. “I liked to know my rent would be paid, so it’s always been a side gig.”
Frost Art
Downs isn’t sure if there’s an official term for his artwork. He calls it “frost art.”
“That sounds as good as anything,” he said.
The “frost” is actually white outdoor acrylic paint brushed and etched into trees, snowflakes and landscapes on glass windows. Downs said other colors can be used to add shadowing, but he can accomplish most of it with the right application and density of white.
“It takes four or five hours to put something up, depending on the complexity of the image and the size of the window,” he said. “It seems complex when you look at it, but when you're doing, it doesn't seem too complex. There’s just a little technique involved in applying it.”
For Caya Construction, Downs bedazzled the windows with snow falling on a forest of pine and birch trees. He added a large snowflake to add to the snowscape.
“Snowflakes can take a long time,” he said. “Sometimes the trees go up quickly, and some take a little while. It can be as intricate as you want it to be.”
Winter Durability
Wyoming has missed the worst of the seasonal storms that have brought several feet of snow and subzero temperatures to the eastern half of the country. The worst of winter won’t reach Wyoming until the end of December.
Downs said outdoor acrylic paint should be durable enough to endure a Wyoming winter but can’t say for sure. It’s the first time he’s done frost art in a place with consistent frost and snow during the winter.
“It’s a seasonal picture, so it doesn’t have to last too long,” he said. “It should hold up to the sub-zero weather reasonably well for three or four months.”
All that’s needed to remove the snowscape is water, a squeegee, and a razor scraper. Simple enough once spring arrives and there’s no need for a storefront snowscape.
“I think it’ll be just fine until they’re ready to take it down,” Downs said.
California Creativity
Downs moved to Douglas from California five years ago. He said he’s had enough of the Golden State and decided to find somewhere slower and quieter.
“California was getting a little too crazy for my family and me,” he said. “Wyoming is definitely more suited to our lifestyle.”
Art is a creative outlet for Downs, but he’s hoping to earn some extra income by offering his artistic services to more businesses in central Wyoming. He was happy to offer his side-gig skills to Caya Construction.
“This is the first time I've done it in quite a while,” he said. “I realized how much I miss doing this kind of stuff. I was having fun doing these scenes.”
So far, Downs has heard a lot of compliments about his storefront snowscapes. It’s pleasantly surprising that his frost art was so warmly received.
“I’m actually surprised at the feedback I’ve gotten,” he said. “It’s nice to hear people enjoy what I’m doing.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
