Alamosa murals bring history to life

ALAMOSA — Downtown Alamosa was busy on Thursday with a block party to celebrate three murals being painted. The event was sponsored by the Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce and Jade Communications.

The Alamosa Adventurer mural featured in the block party at 407 State Ave. is sponsored by Jade.

Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman told the Valley Courier, "Murals are beautiful pieces of art that encourage people to stop and observe. Murals are captivating to me. I love observing murals and the stories they tell.

“We are fortunate to have talented artists using their creativity on mural projects. I encourage our residents and visitors to visit the murals. Our city is thankful for the beauty the artists are creating in our Alamosa community," Coleman said.

While working on the Alamosa Adventurer mural, Shaye Vanderbille said, “This is an awesome opportunity to work on this art that shows so much of Alamosa and the Valley.”

The murals are part of a 100-year mural project the chamber is sponsoring for 10 murals in Alamosa. Each mural represents a decade highlighting the work of local artists. The murals are intended to create a collage that will enable people to learn about the history of Alamosa and the San Luis Valley.

According to Americans for the Arts, "Cities gain value through public art – cultural, social, and economic value. Public art is a distinguishing part of our public history and evolving culture. It reflects and reveals our society, adds meaning to our cities, and uniqueness to our communities. Public art humanizes the built environment and invigorates public spaces. It provides an intersection between past, present and future, between disciplines, and between ideas. Public art is freely accessible."

The Alamosa murals will tell the story of the city in the last century, provide art and recreation to locals, and attract tourists to enjoy downtown.

The City of Amherst Massachusetts Public Arts Commission offers these compelling reasons art, such as murals benefit people and municipalities:

1. It's public. Everyone has access to public art. It's directly in the public sphere and not confined to galleries or museums.
2. It enriches our physical environments, bringing streetscapes, plazas, town buildings and schools to life.
3. It's an excellent tool for civic engagement, building social capital, and encouraging civil discourse.
4. It provides professional opportunities for artists and cultivates an environment where the creative class thrives.
5. It boosts local economies. Businesses supply materials and labor; restaurants, hotels and transportation companies benefit from a site that attracts visitors.
6. It's an investment in place making—measured by livability and quality of life—that also engenders community pride.
7. It connects citizens to their neighbors and their shared history through documentation and celebration and makes cultural heritage a tangible community asset.
8. It enlivens places where people work, which can improve employee morale, productivity and respect.
9. It creates supportive learning environments. It opens eyes—and minds! It attracts students to environments conducive to both learning and fun.
10. It raises public awareness about important community issues, such as environmental stewardship and respect for diversity.

The Valley Courier will report on the other seven murals that are part of the 10 mural series depicting 100 years of Alamosa history when they begin.