#23 - Virgen Indigena
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Location: Guadalupe Community Center, 1801 West Cesar Chavez Blvd. at Trinity St. Dimensions: 22’6” x 19’ Original date: January 2004 Original artists: Jane Madrigal, Jose Cosme, and Louie Alejandro Original mural coordinator: Jane Madrigal |
When a San Anto Cultural Arts survey asks Westsiders what they want to see on their neighborhood walls, la virgen de Guadalupe is one of the most popular answers. Painted on the Guadalupe Community Center, this mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe looks protectively down on the athletic field at Lanier High School. As the title shows, this mural emphasizes the indigenous nature of la virgen. Her skin and the cherub’s are cinnamon-brown, and the cherub’s wings are striped like the Mexican flag. Aztec symbols decorate the border and corners of the mural. This mural was originally designed by Ray Tellez, a former inmate who learned how to draw while incarcerated. Jane Madrigal finished the mural design and painting.
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Content and Design
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The original mural design created by Ray Tellez followed the style of pano arte. Inmates create pano arte by soaking panos or handkerchiefs in rationed milk, flattening the pano under a mattress or other heavy object, and letting it dry and stiffen. Artists then draw or paint on the pano canvas. Pano drawings are usually detailed and intricate, with many designs and little white space. Tellez developed his artistic abilities while incarcerated and intended his mural to reflect his unique school of art. When Tellez could not complete the mural, the new Community Mural Program (CMP) coordinator Jane Madrigal had to rush to finish the piece, resulting in a more simple design.
The central image in the mural is la virgen de Guadalupe, indigenous and dressed in her traditional tilma. Beneath her is a cherub with wings striped green, white, and red like the Mexican flag. He holds up the moon upon which Guadalupe stands. The braided border design and pictures in the four corners of the mural are Aztec symbols, including the Aztec sun in the top left and the ollin (cosmic eye, symbol of movement) in the bottom right. Guadalupe floats in a blue sky full of drifting clouds. |
Example of paño arte. Artist anonymous. From the January 2008 edition of El Placazo Community Newspaper
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Long-time San Anto artist and Westside resident Cardee Garcia talks about why la virgen de Guadalupe appears so often in San Anto murals:
I think it [religious imagery like la virgen de Guadalupe] ties people down to first well their faith, and then their roots most of all. I think the majority are Catholic there on the Westside. Religion's very important to them, especially the very very elderly. And it's just keeping tradition alive, so that's [la virgen de Guadalupe] definitely a common thing we hear when we ask, “What do you want to see on the walls?” They'll always say the Virgen, Jesus. It’s a tie to their past, not forgetting who they are. They want to see their everyday lives in the artwork too. And it brings people back home most of all. |
Clipping from a 2000 edition of El Placazo Community Newspaper
History
From the 2004 mural blessing program:
“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, writings 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 Pano 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.
After several program strategy meetings, it was decided that we would to continue [sic] 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 bilateral 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-associated himself with the community, while contributing and giving back profoundly to his community in the form of a public mural.
Unfortunately, Ray was not able to complete the intended 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 Community 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!
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. See ya’ at the next blessing.”
“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, writings 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 Pano 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.
After several program strategy meetings, it was decided that we would to continue [sic] 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 bilateral 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-associated himself with the community, while contributing and giving back profoundly to his community in the form of a public mural.
Unfortunately, Ray was not able to complete the intended 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 Community 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!
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. See ya’ at the next blessing.”