Rocco Schiralli’s painting for the Portage Public Library has been supersized to create a mural displayed on the side of the building. The original is 24 inches by 36 inches, painted on a stretched canvas. It was unveiled Friday during the library’s Winter Wonder Fest celebration. So was the mural, printed on metal and measuring 12 feet by 8 feet. Porter County Public Library System Director Jesse Butz had Simko Signs take a high-resolution photo of the original and print it on metal to be displayed on the exterior of the library as part of the library garden south of the building. The painting, named “Beyond Eternal Blue Outer Space, Reading Can Transport You to Anyplace,” was entirely Schiralli’s creation. Butz gave him a figurative blank canvas to work with. Tammy Schiralli looks at her husband LaPorte artist Rocco Schiralli as he gets a first look at a mural made from his original work “Beyond Eternal Blue Outer Space, Reading Can Transport You to Anyplace” unveiled during the Winter Wonder Fest celebration at the Portage Public Library in Portage, Indiana, on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune) Butz had seen Schiralli painting murals on the back of the Papa John’s and Don Quixote Restaurant buildings in downtown Valparaiso, across the alley from the library garden there, and reached out to Schiralli about the opportunity at the Portage library garden. The painting features the names of 100 of the greatest authors of all time, Schiralli said. It honors his mother, who died in April at age 105. She was a research librarian who became known as Grandma Google because she had all the answers, Schiralli said. “Just years of being a librarian made her a very intelligent person in a lot of different disciplines,” he said. LaPorte artist Rocco Schiralli, left, unveils his original work “Beyond Eternal Blue Outer Space, Reading Can Transport You to Anyplace” with the help of Jesse Butz during the Winter Wonder Fest celebration at the Portage Public Library in Portage, Indiana, on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. Butz is director of the Porter County Public Library System. (Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune) “Some of the smartest people I’ve ever met in my life are people who read, and read a lot,” Schiralli said. The painting’s theme is, “Open a book, open your mind.” Schiralli used his customary surrealistic style. “Hopefully, you see a sense of perspective that is pulling you right into an open book,” he said. “I wanted to make it explosive, like otherworldly as well.” Asked how long it took to paint the artwork, Schiralli said, “Less than the number of stars in there.” He then estimated he spent about 100 hours on it. Four-year-old Rowan French makes a Yeti ornament during the Winter Wonder Fest celebration at the Portage Public Library in Portage, Indiana, on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune) Rocco relied on his muse and wife, Tammy, for help with the painting. He’s colorblind, so she helped him know which colors he was mixing. That’s one of the reasons he prefers vibrant colors. Friday’s unveiling of the mural was the first time Schiralli had seen the large metal print of his work. He was thrilled with the clarity of the mural. Schiralli’s mural is the first in a series to be affixed to the library. When it’s time for another to replace it, the metal panels will be removed from the exterior and moved to the interior, Butz said. A QR code posted with the mural will lead to an online gallery of progress during its creation, from sketch to finished product, as well as information about the artist. Rafi Mediona, left, tries to untangle with his brother Xavi during the Winter Wonder Fest celebration at the Portage Public Library in Portage, Indiana, on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune) The original painting will be rotated through the rest of the library system’s branches so patrons elsewhere will be able to enjoy it. The library paid for Schiralli’s mural. Butz hopes it will attract a sponsor soon. Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.