trompe l'oeil artist John Pugh

The text said: 'He'd done it again!' But, just when he'd done it, was anyone's guess. So, I Googled away and found it: the article in The Daily Mail, from 25 May, 2009.

You can go here to read it yourself.

Main Street, Los Gatos, California. Even the woman peering in is part of the mural!

Greek tragedy: But the Doric-style columns, apparently exposed
in this university hall, are nothing but paint.

Wonder wave: Pugh's Mana Nalu mural in Honolulu. Fire crews rushed to save the children from the
mighty wave - before realising it was an optical illusion.

Blurring the lines: A mural entitled, 'Art imitating life imitating art imitating life' - at the Cafe
Trompe L'oeil, in San Jose, California.

Having a cow: Valentine's Day - a mural unveiled during the Global Mural Conference
in Twentynine Palms, California.

Take a pew: This looks like a nice spot to rest your weary feet - on a sidewalk
in Sarasota County Health Center, Florida.

The artist at work

From the article:

This is the desired effect and Pugh enjoys the community-bonding properties of his public works.

He works on a large scale in public and residential areas and his paintings can be seen all over the world from New Zealand to Hawaii - with many telling a story of the area where they are positioned.

Pugh is used to people's amazed reactions when they pass his murals.

He said: 'They say "wow did you see that. I thought that was real."

'Public art can link people together and stimulate a sense of pride within the community. These life-size illusions allow me to communicate with a very large audience. It seems almost universal that people take delight in being visually tricked.'

Pugh is currently working on a mural for a police station in California and also one for a recreation centre in Calgary, Canada.