By EMILY CHRISTENSEN, Courier Staff Writer

WATERLOO --- For two years Paco Rosic patiently waited for the perfect moment to finish his greatest work.

Last Sunday the inspiration finally hit him.

"I go by the feeling. It comes from inside here," Rosic said, placing his hand on his heart.

That night he locked himself inside his downtown Waterloo restaurant, Galleria de Paco, and began work extending his world-famous spray-painted interpretation of the Sistine Chapel down the walls and to the floor. His father, Jacky, spent Monday morning calling patrons, canceling reservations and informing them the restaurant and Catacomb Lounge would be closed through Jan. 20.

"I wanted to wait and give the customers more notice, but he said he could do it faster and better if he did it now," said his father, who owns the restaurant, lounge and gallery at 622 Commercial St. "I can tell this is hard for him ... but he's a hero. He is really good."

By Thursday nearly 80 percent of the restaurant walls were covered, but Rosic said he was far from done.

"You can never really finish a painting," he said. "Look at the ceiling. I see that and think maybe I should close for a few more days and do some touch-ups there."

Rosic said once the walls are primed and the sketches drawn, he then goes back over each panel to pull more and more detail out. The tedious work often leaves him with painful cramps in his right hand and arm.

But, the work he is doing on the wall is nothing compared to the physical sacrifices he made while painting the recreation of Michelangelo's most famous work on his restaurant ceiling --- a work that has earned him international recognition.

A stream of tourists, journalists and celebrities has traveled to the community to view Rosic's homage to Michelangelo's masterpiece. Rosic, a Bosnian refugee, spent months spray-painting the 2,511-square-foot painting.

Tourists from as far away as Italy, France, England, Germany, Iceland, China, Japan and the country of Georgia have stopped by to dine on European-influenced cuisine and gawk at the ceiling. Actress Michelle Monaghan of "Mission Impossible III" celebrated her birthday at the gallery, and actor Nicolas Cage visited with his family.

Rosic is capturing his work on video camera. The footage will then be turned into a short documentary that can be played when bus tours visit the restaurant and art gallery. He also is posting photos of his progress on his Web site, www.paco-rosic.com.

"This was my life dream, to finish this. It feels good that it is almost done," he said. "Maybe now I can move onto the next project."