Oiva EskolaFeb 11
Cabel Sasser

over a year ago, i gave a talk at the xoxo conference about a mural, a mcdonald’s, and a man. (but it was also secretly about life, and legacy, and meaning.)

finally, i’m blogging the full story, with behind-the-scenes details, and a video of the talk.

i hope you enjoy this read. https://cabel.com/wes-cook-and-the-mcdonalds-mural/

Wes Cook and the Centralia McDonald's Mural

A personal story about discovering a mural in a McDonald's, an unknown artist named Wes Cook, trying to save the mural, and a conference talk about it all.

cabel.com
Feb 11 at 7:04pmWeb
Show threadMax FentonFeb 11
@cabel Of all the talks to watch from outside in the picnic zone
Show threadBernd KilgaFeb 11
@cabel My God! The scrollfrog! ❤️
Show threadFlorian HeidenreichFeb 11
@cabel 👏 👏 👏 (had to join the crowd) thank you for sharing your story 🧡
Show threadOdinFeb 11
@cabel I know it’s a bit sparse, but I still think it’s really great that Wes Cook has a Wikipedia article because of the work you did to share this story
Show threadJeff Feb 11
@cabel hard not to tear up at the original reveal; such a maximally Cabel conclusion to the whole arc
Show threadRobert CassidyFeb 11
@cabel This is such a good story.
Show threadStan James 🏳️‍🌈Feb 11
@cabel This is so delightfully weird, human and authentic. Thanks for sharing the behind-the-scenes details! Oh, and the scrollfrog. ​
Show threadRecursive Delete Audio/VisualFeb 12
@cabel Such an emotional payoff! (The end of the talk definitely turned on the waterworks over here.) Also thank you for the making-of info, Wes' website, etc. Amazing!
Show threadScott BenishFeb 12
@cabel ❤️❤️❤️
Show threadstevenFeb 12
@cabel I had a job that took me up and down the I-5 corridor through the 10’s and a bit into the pandemic. I loved that mural the handful of times I was in there. Thanks for saving it from demolition :) it brought back some fond memories.
Show threadLee PasifullFeb 12
@cabel as per the video’s instructions: Thank you.
Show threadJeff MilnerFeb 12
@cabel
https://jeffmilner.com/index.php/2026/02/11/cabel-sasser-on-photographing-the-wes-cook-mcdonalds-mural/
I found your story to be so interesting and inspiring. I also couldn't help but write a little bit about the painting on the right hand side of the mural as well.
Cabel Sasser on Photographing the Wes Cook McDonald’s Mural – Jeff Milner

Show threadBill Welense (he/him)Feb 12
I smile every time I’m reminded of this, @cabel
Show threadJustin MillerFeb 12
@cabel My partner and I were in The Netherlands in late 2023 and found ourselves needing some very late 'second dinner' food after adventures and thus stopped into the McDonalds in Delft. We'd never seen the 'Delicious Burgers' decor before and assumed it was maybe a European-market thing. So, not a full selfie, but something!
Show threadJ. BlakeFeb 12
@cabel Run, cow, run. These are not your friends!
Show threadGraham HarperFeb 13
@cabel watched your talk when it came out and again yesterday. Really enjoyed it. It’s truly a Delicious Burger.
Show threadTruth CollectorApr 12

@cabel FucKing hell - I hate McDonald's (for some reason unclear right now to myself) but somehow such a legendary kind of story, right to the end where people are clapping... it over-ruled by sense of branding and saw the other sides of it include Wes the artist and actually great page and anims - just all great.

Why can't we do this for the non-McD's stuff? ?

With love...

Show threadTruth CollectorApr 12

@cabel P.S I felt envy / jealous seeing the mural at first - for all the children and their young bright feelings who would be sitting there and seeing the detailed mural - I imagined the children who would see this mass of colour and fantasy art and just sit with mind blown "woah / cool" -

I then remember I had some massive art too while younger as it was a feature / signature than worked as a kind of jungle of art :) That and the plastic swivel chairs... I'm sure I'll remember more soon.. :)