In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks many people displayed their patriotism by flying the American flag on their homes or at work but people at a business in Hadley took their patriotism a step further.

Anyone driving past Huffman's Auto Body will see something staring -- or what some may consider glaring -- at them from a 12-by-14 garage door.

An airbrushed painting of an intense-looking eagle with gold eyes and a gold beak on a unique red, white and blue flag-type background covers the entire door.

Dave Huffman, owner of Huffman's, said the painting was done by employee Scott Gregg about a month after Sept. 11. He said he tried to find an American flag to display but "you couldn't buy a flag around here."

That's when he and Gregg decided to come up with another way to show their patriotism.

"We decided it was unique," Huffman said. He added that it was something everyone would see but not something everyone would have.

Gregg, who has worked with airbrush paints as a hobby for about 12 years, said it took him more than eight hours to complete the painting.

"It was raining that day," Gregg recalled. He said he had to put plastic around the door and pitch a tent around himself to stay dry.

Huffman said he and Gregg were brainstorming for ideas when they came across a picture of an eagle in a magazine. While they used the basic idea of the eagle they added their own features and characters to the symbolic bird.

"We made the eagle look more aggressive to suit the mood we were in about the attacks ... We were trying to make a statement" Huffman said.

The statement seems to have reached people. Huffman said he's had many people comment on the art work in restaurants, at the local gas station and by calling on the phone.

"That was our way of supporting the rest of America with everything that was going on at that time," Gregg said. "I've heard a lot of people have liked it (the painting)."

Gregg said this is the biggest painting he's ever done. "The detail comes out all different. Some of the detail in smaller pictures doesn't look as bold as this (painting) does. The bigger you get, the more it sticks out," he said.

The patriotic artwork will last a long time since it was painted with automotive paint, Gregg added.