Tradicion y Cultura

Location: Chupaderas and Guadalupe St.

Mural Dimension: 28' X 11'

Hard Core Mural Crew: Victor Mena, Damien Hernandez, Oscar Flores, Ruth Buentello.

Mural Facilitator: Alex Rubio

Partners / Collaborators: La Familia Stewart

Blessing and Dedication Date: Saturday October 27th, 2001

The crew preps the wall for painting.

The "Lowrider" Hard Core Mural Crew hard at work on the mural.

Mural Description: The Tradicion y Cultura mural, also known as The Sweet as Candy Lowrider Mural, is a tribute to the familial lowrider tradition and culture in San Antonio. First-time Hard Core Crew Members, Ruth Buentello, Victor Mena, Damien Hernandez and Oscar Flores designed the mural. The crew of teenagers came up with the idea for the mural after having met the Stewart family while conducting research at the Centro Aztlan Low and Slow Classic Car Show. The mural crew, working alongside Mural Facilitator Alex Rubio, decided to create a mural based on one of the Stewart Family lowrider cars and on the tradition of lowriding within the Stewart family. The 28' X 11' mural is located at the corner of Chupaderas and Guadalupe St, in the heart of the Westside.

The "Lowrider" Hard Core Mural Crew - Ruth Buentello, Victor Mena, Oscar Flores, Damien Hernandez and Chris Muñoz - pose for a picture in the Stewart Family's Sweet as Candy Lowrider at the mural blessing and dedication.

Mural Facilitator, Alex Rubio, and Crew Member, Chris Muñoz, smile for the cameras.

Ruth Buentello transfers the mural sketch.

Hard Core Crew Member, Damien Hernandez, works on the mural sketch.

Stained Glass Mosaic Para la Virgen de Guadalupe

Location: 1223 Trinity, between Chihuahua and San Carlos St.

Lead Artist: Anabelle Rodriguez

Partners / Collaborators: Taller Puertorriqueño, Guadalupe Home
Blessing and Dedication Date: Sunday August 10th, 2003

Mural Description: This mural was inspired by the indigenous aspects of the Virgen de Guadalupe. Native symbols and images have been incorporated into the mural. The use of indigenous symbols remind us of our roots and helps us to re-connect with our ancestors.

Anabelle Rodriguez works with residents of the Guadalupe Home on painting tiles for the mural.

This mural project is unique in several ways:
* This is San Anto’s first Muralist-In-Residency project.
* The project is a collaborative effort between San Anto Cultural Arts, The Taller Puertorriqueño Cultural Center in Philadelphia, and The Guadalupe Home for Homeless Expectant Mothers.
* This mural is our first stained-glass piece.

Anabelle works with a mural crew member on cutting glass.

The mural, entitled Stained Glass Mosaic Para La Virgen De Guadalupe, was designed and created by Philadelphia muralist, Anabelle Rodriguez, and a crew of San Anto Cultural Arts Mural Program participants. Anabelle Rodriguez was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico. She arrived in the United States in 1990, to pursue an undergraduate degree from Brown University (B.A. History of Art and Architecture/The Visual Arts 1994). Her work experience includes: Education Director at the Ponce Museum of Art, holder of some of the finest and most comprehensive art collections in the Caribbean. She is currently the Visual Arts Director and Curator of the Lorenzo Homar Gallery at Taller Puertorriqueño, Inc., “the cultural heart of El Barrio” in Philadelphia.

Anabelle applies the firt piece of stained glass to the panel.

Anabelle is the first artist chosen for San Anto Cultural Arts' Muralist-In-Residency Project. This project is designed to give established muralists from San Antonio and throughout the country an opportunity to create community-based murals within the San Anto Cultural Arts Westside Mural District.

Anabelle works diligently on the face of the Virgen.

Jose Cosme and Anabelle work hard in the hot San Anto summer heat.

Louie Alejandro places the hand-painted tiles onto the building.

San Anto would like to thank Anabelle for her hard work and dedication to this project. Our community will be inspired for many years through the beauty of this exquisite public-art piece. We would also like to thank everyone who made this project possible: Andy Benavides/BZ Design, Tom Beno and Crew, Louie Alejandro, Rose Orosco, J-Ann Allen/Our Lady of the Lake Univ. Art Dept., and Heart of Texas Crane Co.

Volunteer, Tom Beno, works on framing the main piece of the mural.

Volunteers prepare to move the main piece of the mural out of the 1906 studios onto the crane in preparation for transporation to it's permanent home.

The crane opertor positions the piece onto the building.

Anabelle addressed the media at the blessing and dedication ceremony.

San Antonio Mayor, Ed Garza, addresses the media at the blessing and dedication ceremony.

Isaac Cardenas blesses the mural with an indigeneous ceremony.

Old School veterano vato enjoys the mural on a sunny day in San Anto.

Special thanks to Andy Benavides for allowing the use of his space for this project. Muchos thank yous', brother.

Virgen Indígena

Location: Durango and Trinity

Lead Artists: Jane Madrigal, Jose Cosme, Louie Alejandro

Partners / Collaborators: Guadalupe Community Center

Blessing and Dedication Date: Sunday, January 11, 2004

Mural Description: The Virgen Indigena Mural at the Guadalupe Community Center is SACA’s 25th Mural project. Production and inspiration for this mural began when we were contacted by Cindy Tellez, wife of Ray Tellez. As an inmate in one of Texas’ fine prisons, Ray had been submitting artwork, writngs and poetry to our Community Newspaper, El Placazo, for several years. Ray was one of our most consistent and talented contributors of prison art and writings,
submitting art pieces and poems that spoke of a troubled youth, life in prison and fantasies of freedom. These Paño Arte (handkerchief art) pieces and poetry helped Ray cope with loneliness and solitude while in prison. Cindy had come by the SACA office to let us know that Ray was going to be released from prison and needed to cancel his monthly subscription to El Placazo.

Hard Core Crew Member, Louie Alejandro, prepares the mural wall.

After several program strategy meetings, it was decided that we would to continue our relationship with Ray and expand the scope of our existing mural project structure. We offered the recently released inmate the opportunity to join our organization as a Lead Muralist. This project would serve as a bi-lateral learning tool for him to further develop his artistic talent as an artist, through the development of a Mural within his community, and by working directly with local youth, educate our community about his experiences before, during and after prison. This project was to serve as a creative method for Ray to re-associate himself with his community, while contributing and giving back profoundly to his community in the form of a public mural.

Crew Members, Louie Alejandro and Orlando Rodriguez, hard at work
on the mural.

Unfortunately, Ray was not able to complete the intened mural and the project was put on hold. In June, 2003, Jane Madrigal was hired as Community Mural Program Coordinator for SACA. One of her first assignments was to complete the mural at the Guadalupe Communiy Center “by any means necessary”. After several requested design and image changes, the project has finally been completed. What have we learned from this project? Don’t ever give up!

Students from the Inner City Home School during a mural workshop session.

We thank everyone who had anything to do with this mural project. Special thanks to Ray and Cindy Tellez y Familia, Alex Rubio, Becky Solloa, Gerry Garcia, Cardee Garcia, Jose Cosme, and Louie Alejandro.

Ruth Buentello and Louie work on finishing touches.

SACA Mural Coordinator, Jane Madrigal, works high on the scaffold.

Hard Core Mural Crew Member, Jose Cosme, starts on the
mural painting process.

SACA Video Program Coordinator, Ed Schlesinger, Louie Alejandro and Jose Cosme "chilax" at the mural blessing and dedication ceremony.

Community residents getting ready to dig into the food at the blessing and dedication.

Home Graffitti Mural

Location: University of South Carolina

Mural Dimension: 40’ X 7’

Lead Artists: Reyes Garcia and Robert Muñoz

Partners / Collaborators: University of North Carolina / Bill Bamberger and the
Mobile Gallery staff.

Blessing and dedication date: July 27th, 2002

Reyes Garcia at work on the Words graff mural.

Description of mural: San Anto Cultural Ars, in collaboration with the University of North Carolina and the Mobile Gallery, partnered to create San Anto's first Graffiti Mural - "Words". San Anto Cultural Arts is proud to continue the tradition of collaboration through this sometimes misunderstood barrio art form.

Reyes Garcia work under the scorching San Antonio sol.

The Graffiti Mural is a collection of words written in an underground graffiti style which express our community's successes and sorrows. Words such as love and hate are depictedin a colorful collage of aerosol bombs and characters. Harcore garff heads, Reyes Garcia and Robert Muñoz offer the community the opportunity to see through the eyes of a graffiti writer and understand this powerful art movement. As stated by Reyes Garcia, "graffiti stains more than a wall, it stains the soul."

The crew and their spray paint.

Robert Muñoz and the wall.

Robert searching for Reyes in the mural van - "hey, dog, are you in there?"

Members of the Conjunto Taller play some ol' skool' San Antonio conjunto jams at the blessing ceremony.

Reyes, Robert, Bill Bamberger, and Alex Rubio hug at the blessing ceremony.

Reyes and Robert, exhausted after giving their thank you speaches, enjoy some cool beverages in the shade at the blessing ceremony.

Good, Bad, and the Greedy

Location: Brazos and Laredo

Mural Dimension: 100’ X 20’

Lead Artist / Mural Crew: Adrian Fernandez, Alex Fernandez, Catherine Fernandez, Louis Tijerina, Leo Tijerina

Mural Facilitator: Estevan Arredondo

Blessing and dedication date: August, 23 2002 

Hard Core Mural Crew Member, Catherine Fernandez, working on the mural.

Description of mural: This 100' X 20' mural tackled timely issues of political corruption, economic racism, environmental racism and corporate greed and the effect those societal ills have on working class communities here in our city and throughout the world. The mural crew did extensive research for this 1 1/2 year project. The crew studied German expressionist art muralists Diego Rivera and Siqueros, the book Animal Farm, Pink Floyd's The Wall, convened neighborhood discussion and dialogue sessions regarding the mural imagery and conducted extensive community surveys before developing the final mural sketch.

Hard Core Mural Crew Memeber, Leo Tijerina, takes a break from mural painting.

This mural is the Heavy Metal crew's second mural with San Anto Mural Program. Their first mural is located right next to their current project and is entitled Heavy Metal. That mural was completed in September of 2000 and is also 100' X 20'. The 2-mural project took over 3 years to complete and has a final dimension of over 250' X 20'.

The Heavy Metal Crew hard at work.

The Heavy Metal Crew get ready to break down the scaffolding.

The Heavy Metal crew is communicating their ideas through the use of this mural art project. The issues being addressed by the Metal crew in this mural is corruption and greed in our government and the misery that the common citizen will go through if we do not practice our freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The mural exhibits that dollars and profits have become more important than the well being of the hard working lower and middle class citizen.

San Anto Mural Program Coordinator (circa, 2002), Alex Rubio, and Catherine.

The symbols used in the mural are puppet strings, pigs, a donkey, an elephant, money, hostility, war and greed. The giant hands represent the Puppet Master. The pigs, represent the greed of the corporate officials. The elephant and the donkey represent the political parties. A highly positioned political representative (the morphed donkey/elephant) hordes cash, representative of greedy kings from past nations. An elephant and a donkey fight over a dollar bill that is being used as bait by a pig. The background is a scene of despair and pollution. To the right of the mural, the working class do what they do best: work hard for the betterment of their families and community.

Metal!

Express yourself! It's the American thing to do. - The Heavy Metal Crew, August 2002

Leo and Lead Designer, Adrian Fernandez, take a break.

Mother of crew members, Adrian and Alex, join in on the mural painting process.

Where's the paint?.

The Heavy Metal crew addresses the crowd at the mural blessing and dedication.

Mural Crew Member, Louis Fernandez, interviews Grandma at the blessing ceremony.

Isaac Cardenas blesses the mural. Manuel Castillo and Alex Rubio wait patiently.

Fernando Flores and family gather in front of his poem, The American Dream. Fernando has written several poems for San Anto murals.

Mural Crew Member, Catherine Fernandez, thanks the crowd at the blessing.

The happy Fernandez Family.

Piedad

Location:  Colorado and Buena Vista St.

Mural Dimension: 45’ X 15'

Lead Artist: Ruth Buentello

Partners / Collaborators: National Association of Latin Arts and Culture / La Familia Juárez

Blessing and dedication: November 22, 2003

Description of Mural: This mural is about seeing the parallels between the time of Christ and the present. It is a contemporary depiction of christ’s crucifixion. Christ was persecuted for voicing his beliefs. Today many are judged, thrown into jail or harassed by authorities for being who they are. Painting this mural was an example of voicing out my beliefs. Christ is where I rest from the worries of society. This mural was designed and facilitated by 19 year-old lead artist Ruth Buentello.

Ruth Buentello grids the wall in preparation for the mural sketch transfer.

Mural crew member, Alexis, works on the mural.

Ruth Buentello was born and raised in San Antonio. She is a graduate of Brackenbridge high school. She currently attends San Antonio College and plans on pursuing a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute in Chicago. Ruth has been involved with the San Anto Cultural Arts for several years. She wrote articles for the El Placazo community newspaper before becoming involved in the Mural Program. She has worked on several murals as a Hard-Core Crew Member - "Tradicion y Cultural" at the corner of Chupaderas and Guadalupe and "Breaking the Cycle" at the corner of Zarzamora and San Fernando. This is the first mural Ruth has facilitated as lead muralist.

Detail of sketch work.

Ruth Buentello battles with the scaffolding.

Mural crew volunteeer, Sumatra Wangsomnuk, works down on the mural floor.

Poet, Fernando Flores, dedicates the Piedad mural with a poem at the November 22nd blessing and dedication ceremony.

Local Chicana artist, Deborah Vasquez, drops some serious science on the history and future of public art in San Antonio.

Ruth gets interviewed by one of the local Spanish language TV stations after the blessing ceremony of her mural.

Ruth's brother and mother at the mural blessing and dedication.

More of Ruth's proud family at the blessing ceremony.

Ruth speaks to the crowd at the mural blessing ceremony. She is happy to be done with the mural.

Breaking the Cycle

Location:  Zarzamora and San Fernando

Mural Dimension: 42’ X 10'

Lead Artist:  Mary Rodriguez

Blessing and dedication: February 16th, 2002

Lead Muralist, Mary Rodriguez, works on the Breaking the Cycle mural.

Description of Mural: The theme of San Anto’s 20th mural project is Teen Dating Violence / Domestic Violence and addresses issues that are very critical to the development and health of the San Antonio community. The mural was designed and facilitated by Mary Rodriguez. This was Mary’s second project with the San Anto Mural Program. Mary worked with crew members from Lanier, Kennedy and Brackenridge High Schools. The mural was a collaborative project between the San Anto, The P.E.A.C.E. Initiative, and wall owner / community businesswoman, Maria Pantoja.

Mural Crew Member, Ruth Buentello, take s break for the cameras.

Volunteer Mural Crew Members work in the cold of SA.

Mary Rodriguez is a native Westsider and graduate of Memorial HS. Mary has been pencil drawing, painting, and decorating eggs for many years. She enjoys working with many types of media. She has won many awards for her artwork. She decorates egg shells for all occasions. This was Mary’s second project with San Anto. Her first project was a mobile nicho mural of the Virgen De Guadalupe located at the San Jacinto Senior Home on El Paso and San Jacinto Sts.

Ruth Buentello meditates on the mural wall.

A mural crew volunteeer hard at work on the mural.

Future Lead Muralist, Ruth Buentello, concentrates on the mural.

Patrisia Gonzales blesses the mural at the dedication ceremony.

Community residents enjoy the food at the blessing and dedication ceremony.

Mural Crew Member, Daisy Fuentes, takes a break for the cameras.