By Kathy Chouteau
Those passing by the front entrance to the Richmond Art Center (RAC) on Barrett Avenue may notice an eye-catching new addition to its exterior: A vibrant mural created by Richmond youth this summer while working with artist Fred Alvarado.
The mural, entitled “Every day we must struggle to stay focused on saving this beautiful planet,” was created by 12 Richmond youth participating in S.P.O.T.S. (Supporting Peoples Outlooks, Talents and Speech), a free summer program that focuses on muralism, actions and community activations, per the RAC.
Throughout a six week period, the students collaborated with Alvarado to create the climate change-awareness mural that’s currently being displayed on the left side of the Richmond Art Center’s front entrance, said the RAC. Its central image depicts a woman cradling the earth in her hands with a red sky, the blazing sun and an icy-toned cityscape behind her. At this time the mural’s exhibition is ongoing.
Joining Alvarado to create the mural were youth artists Emily Jo Benjamin, Kaitlyn Bordas, Denise Campos, Vincent Castellanos, Stephanie Garcia, Yahir Garcia, Anwar Mateo Mixcoatl-Diaz, Leslie Poblano, Skyler Rouse, Lizzeth Torres and Iris Wiley Sittler.
An artist talk was held this past Saturday to celebrate the mural’s launch; check out a video of it on YouTube. Want to see the mural in person? The RAC is located at 2540 Barrett Ave. in Richmond. Learn more about the RAC here.
