​​​OLEAN, N.Y. — ​World-renowned artist and Olean native Meg Saligman has created a 10,000 square foot, four-sided, large scale mural on the walls of the Library and Liberal Arts Center at Jamestown Community College in Olean.

It's called Vantage Point: Our Valley of the Sun, inspired by poet and Olean native Robert Lax, and his famous work Circus of the Sun.

“I'm a crazy nut for detail and the more love you show the paint, the more detail you put into it,” Saligman said. “The more attention to every square inch, the more vavoom from the painting which is really what we're going for.”

Crews recently seal coated the mural to protect it from the elements, while others spend hours putting on the finishing touches.

"Showing the mural some love. Fine tuning to the best of our ability and trying to get every last ounce of color and life into the mural," said Saligman.

Saligman, who now lives in Philadelphia, says the imagery depicted in the mural was gathered from the city of Olean, the history and present day people.

"So, it's not me sitting in a studio coming up with wild ideas. We are very much celebrating the people and the landscape," Saligman said.

The mural also pays tribute to her father, who grew up in Olean and died a year and a half ago before getting that painting over his fireplace that she had promised.

"So, I do this in his memory and it makes it that much richer," said Saligman.

The work began in May, and continued throughout the summer, which is when we first caught up with Saligman during a community paint day.

Friends and neighbors painted part of the mural by the numbers, which was later affixed to the building.

"It's rewarding for me. And think of it, the people you get to meet. The people who can actually be a part of making something," she said.

People like Jackie Hitchcock, who is proud to be a permanent part of something that'll be seen for generations to come.

"I have a daughter and I can bring her to this location, and show her this. Her children can see it too and my great grandchildren and so on and so forth. I'm just a part of history and I am really excited to be a part of that," said Hitchcock, an Olean native.

Saligman is equally excited and proud of the community for the work over the last six months.

"A wonderful feeling to be able to walk around and see the building coming to life. It's a great sense of accomplishment to be complete and to have celebrated with all the people who helped," she explained.

Some of her other works can be seen in Philadelphia, Tennessee, and Mexico City.

JCC held a special 'Heart of Olean Mural' dedication ceremony back on October 8.

Saligman also has a mural in Philadelphia called Common Threads, which even served as a backdrop for a scene from the popular television series, “This Is Us,” in 2019.