Warwick Valley High School teacher and artist Rocco Manno seeks photos for new book

Anyone who has driven from Warwick to Sugar Loaf on Kings Highway has seen the huge mural of a group of well-known Hollywood actors on the side of a barn.

The building, now a local landmark, is on the Manno family farm and the artist is Rocco Manno, who teaches art at Warwick Valley High School.

First came Elvis and James Dean

“Over the years hundreds of people have stopped to take a picture of something I did just because I thought it would be fun,” said Manno. “I would love to now document in book form as many of these photos as possible and possibly the story to go with it if there is one.”

Manno, who first painted Elvis Presley and James Dean on the barn in 1996, is looking to obtain a copy of a photograph from anyone who had ever taken a picture of the mural, posed in front of it alone or with family and friends, taken one with their car or motorcycle or anything else.

‘Cool cars, models, friends and wedding parties’

The first version of Dean and Elvis was repainted white and a second version of Elvis, James Dean and Marlon Brando was painted in 2006. The most recent third version added Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman in 2016.

“The number of people that have stopped is really amazing and that’s just the ones I know about,” said Manno. “From cool cars, models, friends and wedding parties and then of course just the image taken of the mural itself from each person’s own perspective is great. Never would I have thought when I painted some of my favorites on the barn that it would have generated such a buzz. I appreciate everyone who has ever looked at it and enjoyed a glimpse as you passed.”

Essential

Send images to: Elvisbarnwarwick@gmail.com.

- Roger Gavan