Diners at the new Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Porterville had front row seats early Tuesday afternoon as an artist from Southern California took a blank brick wall inside the eatery and turned it into a piece of commercial art.

They were impressed with the finished product.

Tracey Moloney has been painting for almost 20 years — since graduating from college. Her company, in Costa Mesa, is called My Heart and Soul. She’s worked with Carl’s Jr. for the past two to three years, decorating interior walls at new restaurants in the company’s western region.

“I’ve been to Texas, Seattle,” she said.

And this past week — to Porterville.

The local restaurant opened in late January at Riverwalk Marketplace and set a company record for most business in its first week.

Moloney said it takes about 90 minutes to complete her artwork at each new Carl’s Jr. location, depending on the size of the wall that’s serving as her canvas.

Dale Baugus of Camp Nelson was at the restaurant with his grandson, Bradley Resendez, 8, of Springville, while Moloney was doing her work. They kept an eye on her progress as she was finishing things off.

Bradley said he’s not much of an artist, but sometimes enjoys art projects at Springville Elementary. He was complimentary of what he saw.

“I thought it was pretty good,” he said.

Baugus was more effusive.

“I think she did a good job. She did it freehand. I was watching her,” he said. “I couldn’t do it freehand. I probably couldn’t do it with the stickers, even.”

Moloney said she tries to do her part to instill an appreciation in art in children, spending time at a school back home.

“I teach one day at week as a volunteer at an elementary school down there,” she said while putting the final touches on her latest creation. “The schools have lost their art programs.”

-- Contact Glen Faison at 784-5000, Ext. 1040, or gfaison@portervillerecorder.com.