MURRIETA -- Where some people see plain walls, Steven Stanford sees a challenge.

The Sun City artist is making his living as a muralist, but he's also giving back.

Stanford, 22, a graduate of Temecula Valley High School, donated his time and talent to paint a mural in the Murrieta Valley High classroom of Bruce Linsley.

The teacher provided the paint and Stanford contributed the labor.

Stanford said the mural is intended to give inspiration and hope, especially in these dismal economic times.

"I just wanted to communicate that you can look up and be positive, release yourself," Stanford said.

The mural tells the mythological story of Prometheus as it relates to the book "Frankenstein."

Stanford, with assistance from MVHS student Chantale Stamp, painted the mural in about a week over winter break.

Chantale is a junior in one of Linsley's creative writing classes.

"I talked to them about the need for our campus to alleviate ourselves from some of these flat, gray walls," Linsley said.

Linsley asks students in his British literature classes to do a drawing after reading "Frankenstein," which is subtitled "The Modern Prometheus."

In Greek mythology, Prometheus is said to have created man from clay, as well as stealing fire from Zeus and giving it to mortals.

Linsley particularly liked one drawing, and said he had hoped to have that painted some day.

Stanford's mural is his interpretation of that drawing.

"Steve completely rearranged it in his brain and made it much more traditionally mythical," Linsley said. "He did a spectacular job. It was fun to be here and watch" as he worked.

Linsley said students are protective of the mural, making sure their chairs don't bump against the wall.

"People like it and appreciate it. They tend to take care of it," Linsley said. "The idea students did it makes it that much more significant."

Stanford is working in Las Vegas, painting murals in a new Cardenas supermarket.

This was Stanford's first mural in Southwest County, he said. Other works can be found in places such as San Diego and Yorba Linda.

"I like being a muralist. It's a little more demanding," Stanford said. "I love painting murals as opposed to painting on canvas.

"What separates a mural from easel painting, it's different thinking and requires a lot of physical endurance. You're up close. It's quite enriching."

Contact staff writer Craig Shultz at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2625, or cshultz@californian.com.