A Man Was Ordered to Build a Fence to Hide His Boat. He Asked an Artist to Paint the Boat on the Fence

When the town of Seaside, California ordered homeowner Etienne Constable to build a fence to conceal the boat in his driveway, he erected the fence all right. And then he hired his neighbor, artist Hanif Panni, to paint a mural on the fence—realistically depicting the boat itself.

The city had threatened a $100 fine if Constable didn’t comply, but, ironically, he ended up paying for more than that for the artist’s fee alone.

“It was his idea,” Hanif said in a phone interview.

Etienne Constable, a Seaside, California, resident, owns a boat that he had kept parked on a dirt patch on his property. In July 2023, officials asked him to build a proper driveway and to put up a 6-foot-tall fence that covered his boat.

In an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Constable explained that he "wasn't looking for a private property rights fight with the city," but disagreed with officials for thinking his boat was an eyesore.

Etienne Constable commissioned a boat mural to be painted on his newly-built fence after receiving a strongly-worded letter from the city council. (@hanifwondir / Instagram)

Etienne Constable, a Seaside, California, resident, owns a boat that he had kept parked on a dirt patch on his property. In July 2023, officials asked him to build a proper driveway and to put up a 6-foot-tall fence that covered his boat.

In an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Constable explained that he "wasn't looking for a private property rights fight with the city," but disagreed with officials for thinking his boat was an eyesore.

"There's some logic to the law about, you know, not having decrepit vehicles….and I figured, 'This is not unsightly.' I don't know why they would threaten me that way," he recalled."I just figured there's a First Amendment right of writing whatever statement I want, on whatever property I have," he continued. "So, yeah, just kind of standing up for myself."

The art is arguably so realistic that, at a quick glance, it almost appears that the fence isn't there at all.

Constable explained that he wanted to avoid having an unattractive fence, opting for a look that was more appealing.

(Constable commissioned artist Hanif Panni to paint the boat mural on his fence. (@hanifwondir/Instagram)

(The realistic boat mural is an optical illusion that has attracted attention from local media, city officials and the California community. (@hanifwondir/Instagram)

(The boat mural received a positive reception from the local Seaside community, including the city council. (@hanifwondir/Instagram)

Ref: A Man Was Ordered to Build a Fence to Hide His Boat. He Asked an Artist to Paint the Boat on the Fence (foxnews)

Photo Credit- @hanifwondir/ Instagram