Work began June 1 on a new mural at the city of Rochelle’s recently completed pocket park at 517 W. Fourth Ave.

The mural is being painted by Mat Steder, owner of Steder Tattoo in Rochelle. Steder has completed two other murals in the downtown Rochelle area in recent years, on the back of the former Hub City Furniture Building and the back of Rochelle VFW Post 3878.

Funds for the future mural were provided by a Rochelle Area Community Foundation grant through the Danny and Stephanie Williams Fund for the Arts. The mural will honor RACF founder Leonard Carmichael, representing generational giving and philanthropy.

The west wall of the pocket park will feature rows of crops in front of a sunset, with the hands of a child inside the hands of an adult holding a seed in the center.

“Leonard Carmichael did a lot in his life,” Steder said. “When they wanted to dedicate it to him, I needed a place to start and a way to bundle his legacy into one image. It’s about him handing down his legacy from the older generation to the new generation with growth.”

As of Wednesday, June 10, Steder had worked on the mural for about 26 hours. He plans to spend about 60 hours total on the work and wants to complete it by June 19, weather permitting.

Steder said he was “honored” to be considered for another mural downtown and said he wants to see more artwork done around the city by different artists.

Leaving his mark on Rochelle carries a lot of meaning for Steder. His late father, Ron, was an active community member with a business that beared his name in Steder Trucking and he sponsored Little League teams.

“It’s really cool for me to be able to do something for the community like he did, in my own way,” Steder said. “I really appreciated being asked. It’s a really good feeling to be a part of the community. I really enjoy it.”

The city’s new pocket park is at the former site of Vinny’s Barbershop, which was purchased and torn down by the city due to structural issues. The park includes a concrete path, brick, native plants, a seat wall, tables, light poles, cafe lights and space for music and food vendors.

Steder’s tattoo shop is just a few doors down from the park. He believes the new space will help the downtown area and the mural will make it a warm space for residents and visitors to the area.

“It’s really neat to be able to tell my clients that I do murals and that they’re right nearby and they can check them out,” Steder said. “It’s really cool to be able to do this. It makes the town fun to drive and walk around. Hopefully there will be more in the future.”

As Steder’s mural work in the downtown area has grown, so have his children. His daughter was a few months old when he did the first mural on the Hub City Furniture building. She’s now 4, and his youngest daughter is 2.

“Them and my older daughter can see them and know that I did them,” Steder said. “It’s a really cool feeling to show them. And unless the buildings come down, they’ll be here. My daughters will be able to grow up and show their friends and say, ‘My dad did that.’ I’m really proud of that.”