Second comings: Revamped Mary's mural reaches climax, but it will only be up fora month

When art collective The Joanna began repainting the iconic tableau of gay life on the side of the bar formerly known as Mary's, longtime Houstonians, art insiders and young gay scenesters alike rejoiced.

But as the project celebrates completion, it's become apparent that the mural's triumphant return will be erased within a month to make way for a rotating series of graffiti art under the watchful gaze of the property owners, Anvil's Kevin Floyd and Bobby Heugel.

"I think we'll redo it, absolutely," said The Joanna's Cody Ledvina. "If it comes down, we have plans of doing it at another bar."

At present, Ledvina's unable to disclose the name of the watering hole that would host the Mary's mural in a third incarnation, but promises, "It's a bar that a lot of folks go to."

Meanwhile, a lot of folks have checked in at The Joanna's week-long painting process along Westheimer Road.

"We've had people from the community come by and tell us the stories of hanging out with some of the original people in the mural, a lot of which have passed away," Ledvina said. "We've encountered the typical Montrose weirdo experience, people demanding beers and fearing for our lives every once in awhile. But otherwise, we had a good 20 people helping out at a time and helping paint."

Passersby also express their support by honking.

The mural was completed Thursday night, in time for Saturday's Houston Pride Parade. The site of Montrose gay bar (which carried the full name Mary's, Naturally) was acquired by Anvil's Bobby Heugel to be used as a parking lot for the upcoming Hay Merchant and Chris Shepherd's Underbelly, but Heugal has guaranteed that the historic building will remain standing.