KTVQ reports that the GTA grain elevator near Bell Street in Glendive, Montana — a structure that rises about 160 feet and has long defined the town's skyline — is being covered in what is expected to become the largest mural in the state. Bozeman artist Griffin Foster and his assistant Matthew Bauchman are painting roughly 10,000 square feet, working about 10 hours a day, seven days a week. According to KTVQ, the mural wraps around two sides of the elevator while the side bearing the existing "GTA" lettering will remain unchanged, and completion is expected in mid-October. The piece is also the largest mural Foster has created.

The design is rooted in the region rather than a generic Western fantasy. KTVQ reports that Foster, who was selected to design the piece, drew on his own experiences in Glendive, with a branding scene at the centerpiece inspired by a local branding he attended — ranchers wrestling calves and the activity of a working ranch. Project lead Jaime Shanks of the Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation told KTVQ that Foster "went very authentic with the brandings and not keeping it so Hollywood with cowboy hats." The mural also includes a dinosaur nodding to the area's prehistoric history, pigeons that reference birds living around the elevator, and Foster's signature mandala designs. Shanks emphasized, per KTVQ, that "everything you see on this tower is not AI" — it comes from Foster's own photos and experiences.

The project has become a daily spectacle for residents. KTVQ reports that Sue and Norman Hostetler have stopped by the elevator nearly every day in recent weeks to watch the work progress, with Sue saying, "Never seen nothing like it in Glendive." Norman has a personal connection: his father once took him up to the elevator's highest level, and several family members worked there. The structure, originally built in 1924, was a working grain elevator that later housed a bean processing operation and a recycling plant damaged by fire before sitting vacant for years, according to KTVQ. Foster told MTN, as reported by KTVQ, that Glendive has been the friendliest place he has painted, with residents regularly offering the artists food.

The mural is the first phase of a broader revitalization effort. KTVQ reports the project received support through a $1.25 million Montana Department of Commerce tourism grant program aimed at helping rural communities develop tourism assets, and that the larger plan calls for a tourism hub that could eventually include a stage, vendor spaces, public amenities and event space designed to capture I-94 traffic and Makoshika State Park visitors. Shanks told KTVQ that research shows beautifying a community is among the most important steps in downtown revitalization. Per KTVQ, Glendive and neighboring towns like Miles City, Baker and Wibaux have been adding murals in recent years, and a second phase of the project is expected to begin within the next few years.