HORACE LANGFORD, JR. / PVT Jessica Bindi stands by the mural she painted on the block wall in her backyard. Advertisement

Jessica Bindi, local resident, has never had an art lesson in her life.

There's no stifling an artistic spirit, however, so that minor detail hasn't stopped her from painting since the 1950s.

Bindi's always had an artistic streak, and even before she'd picked up paint brushes she was sketching, starting with pictures of her grandfather with his violin.

"It's just something I've always done," Bindi said.

One would never guess Bindi lacked any formal training when looking at the mural she painted on about 40 feet of the block wall in her backyard either.

"I just got bored looking at the wall," Bindi explained.

So she broke out her acrylics (which she prefers to oil paint because it dries so quickly) and spent about a month on weekends and after work making a vibrant street scene come to life.

People on the mural pass a church, a deli, a law office and various shops that all show a whimsical slice of town life.

The mural evolved as Bindi went along, taking shape each day with only the general idea she had cultivated in her mind.

She was going to do an Italian scene, because her husband is Italian, but instead found herself painting the current mural, which does however feature the Ristoranti di Bindi for Italian dining.

Bindi explained she painted the restaurant because she and her husband had one prior to moving to Pahrump seven years ago.

Like most artists, Bindi is not one to tolerate the drab or mundane, and her talent as well as her spirit shows throughout her home.

For example, the patio is painted with a colorful, large diamond design because she found the traditional patio lacking.

Painting is more than a hobby for Bindi, however.

She also paints roofing tiles, has sold quite a few and she is a member of the Pahrump Arts Council.

Several of her other paintings are also currently on display at the Pahrump Courthouse and soon her work will also be hanging in the Pahrump Library.

But Bindi's not done yet.

Once the leaves fall off the peach tree in the backyard, she'll be working on the rest of the block wall painting a lakeside scene.