Darius Quarles has got the PMO.

Phenom local artist Darius Quarles has been commissioned to paint a mural at Yonderlust, a new outdoor adventure business in downtown Durham. The planned 60 foot octopus mural – inspired by the sketches of local high-schooler Lucy Linton – is called the ‘Positive Mental Octopus’ and is said to hold the deepest secrets of mental positivity. “You can’t really get away from it.” said Kit Linton, the proprietor at Yonderlust, “Once it’s got you in those legs, you just can’t help but be super positive.”

This is only the latest incarnation of the Positive Mental Octopus, revealed by Wikipedia to be the name of an obscure 1990 Red Hot Chili Peppers video. When asked what the mural had to do with his new outdoor adventure business, Kit Linton responded, “Not much really. The PMO’s just been stuck in my head since the 90’s… and we had this big blank wall on the building… and Darius is spectacular… and well, you know the rest.”

The mural is set to be completed in early 2023 at 109 N Gregson Street in Durham.