Mural of beaver getting fed is incorrect



Two artists have sparked outrage after painting a mural of a young woman feeding a beaver on the side of an adult bookstore - with some fearing the drawing will 'attract children and pedophiles'.

Jesse Smith and Miguel Del Cuadro started working on the bright, cartoon-style artwork at the request of Alison Barber - the owner of Taboo bookstore in Richmond, Virginia - last Friday.

Eight days on, they have used up 20 gallons of paint and 75 cans of spray-paint on the unfinished mural, which features a female dressed in a top and a short skirt feeding a purple beaver an apple.

However, both they and Ms Barber have recently come under fire from locals, some of whom claim the painting could attract children to the store, especially because the woman 'looks like a little girl'.

'It is beautifully done, but I believe it will attract children to an area that may have pedophiles or the like. I believe [it] sets a dangerous precedent, and I wonder if others are uncomfortable by it.'

Some social media users also expressed concern over the artwork - which is a reference to either the act of sexual intercourse or female masturbation - with one writing on Reddit: 'So frightening.'

Taboo bookstore, one of three high-end adult bookstores owned by Ms Barber, is situated at 5100 Midlothian Turnpike. Its location is less than a 15-minute walk from George Wythe High School.

Ms Barber told the network that she had wanted something 'bright, friendly and happy' painting on the side of her store - and 'ironically, something that was not going to cause a stir or a fuss at all'.  But he joked: 'There's no such thing as bad publicity I guess haha.'

And although some residents' and social media users' have voiced concern over the painting - which is expected to be completed in the next couple of days - others have spoken out in defense of it.

One wrote on Fark the artwork was 'provocative without being sleazy'. Another joked: 'This mural is ridiculous. From my years of research, I know beavers prefer cucumbers, carrots, or zucchini.'

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