Drywall Art is Unique Talent

Cleo Yoder has made a living building walls His business handles many standard drywall jobs But over the past several years he s added a new twist to his work - a twist that has made many walls much more than just a division between rooms Jim Olson reports Jim Olson KX News What does this mural at MSU-Bottineau have in common with the tractor on this wall They were both created by the same artist Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall Using regular drywall mud to do all kinds of cutom designs from ceiling borders and wall borders to medallions around lights and fans Jim Olson KX News Cleo Yoder of Wolford learned drywall art about seven years ago - and it s become a part of his drywall business Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall I never really studied for it and never really ever thought I d be doing something like this Jim Olson KX News But a few days every month he finds himself with a special tool in hand Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall That s just a regular cake decorator with all kinds of tips I have in the tool box Jim Olson KX News OK so it s a cake decorator Still he puts it to a very unique use Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall The oak trees in this area in the Turtle Mountains are burr oak Jim Olson KX News At this job he s applying designs in the kitchen and living room Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall Putting oak branches and oak leaves and acorns around the top of the soffit of a kitchen counter area and around a french door is other room Jim Olson KX News And it s painstaking work Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall Every oak tree has a different shape to it Jim Olson KX News Requiring patience Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall I m making the basic shape for the acornsputting the mud on Jim Olson KX News and imagination Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall You really just have to have some imagination and think about now what do I need Jim Olson KX News Each project begins with learning the likes and hobbies of the homeowner Then he skethces his ideas on paper and finally dives in Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall You just kind of have to do it and trust yourself and get going and make adjustments on the way Dan Marquardt Bottineau I guess I challenged him a little bit - he hadn t done anything like that before Jim Olson KX News Yoder created this tractor for Dan Marquardt in Bottineau Dan Marquardt Bottineau A big conversation piece When we have family or visitors over they all pick that out Cleo Yoder Yoder Drywall It s kind of fun to be creative and design something It s enjoyable Jim Olson KX News And his creations are the kinds of things that turn a simple wall into a piece of art In Bottineau Jim Olson KX News