Bennett bought the house anyway and seven years later, people have to rethink that opinion.

When John Bennett received his economic stimulus check earlier this year, the last thing he wanted to do was to "sit on it."

From his days of living in San Francisco, he recalled the Coit Tower murals, a Depression-era public works project that provided jobs for artists.

If art could help stimulate the economy back then, Bennett reasoned, that should still work. He contacted local muralist Brody Froelich, and provided him with a sample sketch for the front of his home: a street scene reminiscent of the city scapes found on the Coit Tower murals.

"I came up with the idea that I wanted a Ninth and Ninth mural," Bennett said. "I wanted to honor the diversity of the neighborhood."

The result is a colorful tribute featuring depictions of sidewalk cafes, the nearby Tower Theater, the "Nine Muses" located at the intersection of 900 East and 900 South, and even a meandering keyboard, a nod to Bennett's talent as a classical pianist.

Windsor Avenue, which is home to Bennett's house, is home to several artists, including Bennett's next-door neighbor, local sculptor Cordell Taylor.

"[The mural] makes John's house look completely different," says Taylor, whose own front yard includes several sculptures. "It's interesting to watch its progress, [and it] shows our neighborhood as artistic."

According to the Salt Lake City Code and Alan Michelsen, of Development Review Planning for the city, public murals are permissible under certain conditions.

"There is an exception that allows murals, as long as they don't depict a sign or [can] be confused with advertising," Michelsen said. In historic districts within Salt Lake City limits, he said there are no regulations as to what color paint can be used on a business or home.

In the foothills, earth tones must be used.

Artist Brody Froelich said as a child he used to draw on the walls of his home. What began as an aggravation for his parents, perhaps, has turned into a creative and satisfying career.

Froelich was involved in many art projects, from backgrounds for animations as a film student at the University of Utah to airbrushing cars and designing clothing.

But when it comes to a favorite medium, he would have to choose murals.

"This is what I do," he said. "I really like the public art."

Bennett doesn't have immediate plans for more outdoor artwork, though he has considered the back wall of his home for another mural.

He looks forward to sharing the mural with neighbors, as well as visitors to the annual Ninth and Ninth festival along with Tower Theater moviegoers who wander by during the Sundance Film Festival.

Meanwhile, John Bennett will enjoy the mural as a creative expression of the neighborhood he has grown to love.