THURSDAY, September 17, 2026|
Photo – Mural on hangar – Courtesy Artist Hans Geist
A Louisiana artist recently completed a mural at the Rawlins municipal airport paying tribute to a beloved local aviator.
In early May, members of the Rawlins‑Carbon County Airport Board began seeking submissions from artists to paint a mural on the side of the Rawlins Flying Club hangar at Harvey Field. At the time, Board member Megan McComas said the painting must incorporate well-known pilot Norm Harvey in some way.
Norm Harvey was the longtime chairman of the Rawlins‑Carbon County Airport Board. He worked with local, state, and federal agencies to expand the Rawlins airport all while sharing his passion for aviation as president of the Rawlins Flying Club. His hangar, now home to the club, was a popular stop for traveling pilots. Harvey was known for flying his prized blue Cessna 195 around the country, even earning a world speed record. He taught future pilots at the Carbon County Higher Education Center before his death on September 26th, 2003, at the age of 59.
Louisiana artist Hans Geist was browsing nationwide calls for artists when he spotted the Rawlins‑Carbon County Airport Board’s mural request. Despite the distance from home, Geist said he was driven to apply.
Geist has painted numerous murals around the country, including one at Founders Plaza in Brighton, Colorado. The artist said he used his family’s aviation background as inspiration for the Rawlins airport mural.
Geist and his daughter Emma finished the 12‑by‑40‑foot mural in about two weeks. The artist said he chose to highlight the local scenery and the airport’s past as part the Transcontinental Airmail System.
Geist used a yellow biplane to represent the airmail route. Opposite the biplane, Geist painted a portrait of Norm Harvey, with his iconic blue Cessna 195 towing a Rawlins Flying Club banner above. He also added the Discover Carbon County logo, as the organization helped sponsor the project, and at the end of the dirt runway Geist recreated Harvey Field’s main hangar.
While a typical desert landscape may be fairly monotone, Geist said he added a variety of colors to make the scenery stand out. The artist said the mural was shaped by his love of aviation and the airport’s past.
Geist said he is accustomed to painting large pieces, adding that the 480-square-foot Harvey Field mural is relatively small compared with some of his other works. He said it wasn’t the mural’s size that caused problems, but the hangar’s uneven siding material and the constant Wyoming wind.
Despite the difficulty, Geist said he enjoyed creating the mural and the time he spent in Rawlins.
Geist thanked Rawlins‑Carbon County Airport Board member Megan McComas for giving him the opportunity to work on the Harvey Field Airport mural.
