DENVER -- Paul Trujillo decided it was time to do something positive and inspiring.

The 16-year-old graffiti artist's moniker, ERA, was scrawled on retaining walls and in alleyways throughout Denver. But after the Democratic National Convention came here in late August, Paul decided to try something new: He and two friends spray-painted a 26-foot-long mural of Barack Obama along the rear fence of his grandparents' house.

Now the city is ordering him to get rid of it.

Paul's artwork includes the word "Vote," which Denver officials ruled makes it an illegal election sign. The city gave him until Friday to come up with a new design.

"We took our time to do that," Paul said this week as he stood in his grandparents' kitchen, "and for someone to just come by and say you can't have that . . . " He trailed off dejectedly.

Read the full article: Los Angeles Times