Become the Master of All Things Mural With These Insider Tidbits!
Tribute
1. “Tribute” by Artesia native, Hannah Dean, is called such because she created the mural as a tribute to three Southeast New Mexico artists: Peter Hurd, Luis Jimenez, and Henriette Wyeth.
2. Peter Hurd is depicted at his easel in the center of the mural. The couple at the bottom left? They represent S.P. and Estelle Yates whose arts patronage helped instill an appreciation and access to arts and culture for Artesians of all ages.
Under a Sky Azure
3. Pop Quiz! “Under a Sky of Azure” was designed and installed by Artesia art students and teachers. Its title was taken from what song? If you said the New Mexico State Song, you are right! The title is the first line of “O Fair New Mexico” by Elizabeth Garrett.
4. The scorpion’s name is Lola!
The Happy Mural Project
5. “The Happy Mural Project” by artists Alyssa Marie and Braden Everly is a national art trail that is about more than just sunflowers on a wall; it is a movement that uplifts the community in an atmosphere of positive engagement.
6. Over 200 locals turned out to help paint Artesia’s Community Happy Mural and many more stopped by to watch! The mural really lives up to the name—don’t those sunflowers just make you HAPPY?
Welcome to Artesia
7. “Welcome to Artesia” by Michael Fish is a modern take on the “Greetings from…” postcards of yesteryear. The downtown mural program committee chose to change the wording to “Welcome to Artesia” as the mural resides on the eastern entrance to the district and quite literally welcomes travelers to town!
8. Fish expertly designed each letter’s scenery with input from locals on the essential landmarks and local history. It can’t be a coincidence that the Bulldog Bowl sign is the center of the mural, much like Bulldog Bowl is in the center of town…right?
