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Photos, video by Thomas Cordova.

What some might have assumed was a POW! WOW! Long Beach mural going up a week early was actually a unique project taken on by the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association to bring Seattle-based artist Peter Robinson to town.

Thanks to the association, as well as Howard CDM, and an anonymous art-doting sponsor who covered the costs, the giant wall running alongside the SteelCraft parking lot now depicts an array of colorful characters from Robinson’s imaginative world.

Robinson has painted murals in Seattle, New York City, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Tokyo, Japan and Buzios Brazil.

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“The mural represents Long Beach in that it is a collection of different characters side by side and united in their uniqueness,” said Blair Cohn, executive director of the business association. “The artist talked about Long Beach being so diverse so his characters are showing that.”

Following the association’s success in bringing out New York-based graffiti artist Tom Bob to transform this fire hydrant  into Princess Leia and paint more clever overlays on urban fixtures throughout Long Beach, Cohn “hounded” Robinson, more popularly known as Ten Hundred,  until he responded affirmatively to take on a Long Beach project.

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“I absolutely love the mural,” said Cohn. “It’s so striking in size and color against that gray wall. It pops out at you immediately and adds more character to Long Beach Boulevard.”

Last year, Niels Shoe Meulman, an internationally-known artist from Amsterdam visiting for POW! WOW! Long Beach, started painting the same SteelCraft parking lot wall, but unfortunately had to split mid-week. His work was painted over and left as a blank canvas.

“When we confirmed Ten Hundred to come we didn’t have a wall yet,” Cohn said. “I just liked his [TEN HUNDRED] designs and use of color. I pitched Martin Howard of Howard CDM (Steelcraft and other properties) who was still looking for a mural on his wall. The size, colors, and the design itself was a go immediately. Martin was excited for it.”

The wall is located at the lot adjacent to 3745 Long Beach Blvd.