Casper Fence Turns Into Living Canvas Of Wyoming Wildlife

The original story by Morgan Vanetti for Wyoming News Now.

A tucked-away corner of downtown Casper is slowly turning into a wild little wonderland.

At the Wyoming Plant Company, an old fence is getting a bright new life thanks to Sydney Ross — employee, college student and now first-time muralist. Since June, she’s been out there, brush in hand, turning bare boards into a growing panorama of Wyoming wildlife and native plants.

What started as a project her boss suggested has become a sprawling, evolving artwork.

“I want to add a moose,” Ross said. “Other animals I hope to add are some bugs. I want to add moths, more squirrels, maybe a chipmunk. I have a lot of ideas I want to do. I know we have black-footed ferrets here.”

With every new critter and plant, the fence feels less like a barrier and more like a storybook. People walking by get a close-up look at the state’s wild side — from the small and fuzzy to the rare and elusive.

Ross says that’s exactly the vibe she’s going for.

“I think it adds some mysticism and it makes it more fun,” she said. “I hope it brings smiles as people walk by.”

Ross doesn’t just work at the Wyoming Plant Company — she’s also a student at Casper College, studying animal science with hopes of becoming a veterinarian. The mural, she says, is the perfect crossover.

“It helps me learn about them and their behaviors,” she said. “I feel like it’s a good overlap for me, and it’s two things that I love.”

Usually, Ross works in traditional and digital art, so painting a mural — especially on a long fence — has been a whole new challenge. She’s had to experiment with scale, surface and weather, all while figuring it out in real time.

All she needed was someone to believe she could pull it off.

Her boss did just that, and Ross ran with it.

She says she’s loved tossing around ideas with her coworkers, adding new animals and plants whenever inspiration hits.

“Let my creativity go wild, because it was just great to think of all these ideas,” she said. “It was fun to kind of experiment almost.”

The mural isn’t just about animals — Wyoming’s native plants are getting their moment too.

“I’m already working on a dogwood, but I want to add another one,” Ross said. “I’d also like to add some bee balm because we (Wyoming) have some very nice native bee balm that’s purple. And definitely an Indian paintbrush.”

She plans to keep extending the mural along the fence in the coming months, especially during the off-season at the plant shop. The goal is to highlight different habitats and native species that make the Cowboy State so unique.

Bit by bit, brushstroke by brushstroke, the fence is turning into a colorful field guide you can walk past on your lunch break.

The mural is still a work in progress — and that’s part of the charm. Each time you pass by, you might notice something new: a squirrel tucked in a corner, a bloom you didn’t see before, a new animal joining the scene.

The project is giving downtown Casper a fresh splash of creativity, and it just might spark ideas for your own garden next season.

So next time you’re near Wyoming Plant Company, take a detour and check out the fence. It’s not just wood and paint anymore — it’s a growing love letter to Wyoming’s wild side.