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Guadalupe Mountains National Park Superintendent Dennis A. Vásquez announced that the park has completed a partnership with the Carlsbad Mural Project, a project of the Carlsbad Community Anti-Gang-Drug Coalition (www.carlsbadcoalition.net), with the creation of a traveling mural of the park. Guadalupe Mountains National Park entered into the partnership with the Carlsbad Mural Project to create the mural in 2012, as part of the 40th Anniversary of the park‟s establishment in 1972.
Vásquez stated, “Art - visual arts, language
arts and music - in a variety of mediums - has long been used to help
people visualize and understand national parks, from the early paintings
of George Caitlin to the exquisite photographs of Ansel Adams. This
mural is a wonderful way to introduce people to Guadalupe Mountains
National Park and, along with our Artist-In-Residence program,
illustrate the beauty, and the flora, fauna, geologic, historic
resources, and recreational opportunities, such as hiking and
backpacking, which the park possesses. We have enjoyed working with
Brother Boko and the volunteers who created this beautiful mural, and
are pleased at how well they have captured the essence of Guadalupe
Mountains National Park.”
In July 2012, the park contacted Joe Epstein and Eve
Flanigan at the Carlsbad Mural Project about the possibility of
creating a mural of the park, after reading about a mural project they
had undertaken with “at-risk” youth. Epstein put the park in contact
with noted muralist Charles Freeman, AKA “Brother Boko,” and over the
next several months, Boko spoke and met with park staff many times to
discuss creation of a mural, which would similarly involve “at-risk”
youth as a way of introducing them to and involving them in Guadalupe
Mountains National Park, and to develop a concept for the mural.
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In August 2012, Boko submitted conceptual sketches,
which were accepted by the park. The park provided the plywood,
hardware, paint, information and photographs about the park, and park
staff consulted with Boko on concepts and reviewed drawings and various
stages of the mural‟s development. New Mexico State University, Carlsbad
provided studio space and over the next several months Boko, as a NPS
Volunteer-In-Parks, assisted by other volunteers, including
NMSU-Carlsbad‟s Retention Coordinator Ayako Sami and Director of Library
Services Akila Nosakhere, further developed the concepts for the mural,
researched the park, including its flora, fauna and history,
photographed various aspect of the park and painted the mural. Two other
volunteers who helped paint the mural were young men, who must remain
anonymous due to privacy concerns, from the Grace House (www.gracehouse.net), a residential treatment program for adolescents, aged 13-18, in Carlsbad, NM.
Brother Boko added, “I think the inclusion of
so-called „at risk‟ youth is a great idea. The creative process of mural
making offers them a positive and productive outlet for their creative
energy. The Carlsbad Mural Project is committed to working with
Carlsbad‟s youth through local organizations, such as the Boys &
Girls Club, which has proven to be a great collaboration. Our most
recent endeavor with young people from the Grace House has proven to be
quite beneficial, as well. The two youth who participated in the
production of the Guadalupe Mountains travelling mural were enthusiastic
and open to being taught mural painting techniques. My hope is that
they will continue to pursue this path and achieve great things in their
lives. Thanks J and D, and also to Ayako, for your energy!”
The then unfinished, 8‟ high x 16‟ wide mural,
consisting of four painted, plywood panels, was displayed publicly for
the first time at the Pine Springs Visitor Center, during the park‟s
40th Anniversary Celebration on October 6, 2012. After that event, work
continued on the mural in between several other mural projects for which
Boko was commissioned. When not being used for outreach, the mural may
be seen inside the Pine Springs Visitor Center Auditorium, which is open
daily (except for December 25) from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Vásquez continued, “We are grateful to Brother Boko,
as well as for the support of Eve Flanigan and Joe Epstein of the
Carlsbad Mural Project, Dr. John Gratton, President of New Mexico State
University, Carlsbad, as well as Sharon Young, Linde Merry and Bobby
Keys, Ayako Sami and Akila Nosakhere of New Mexico State University,
Carlsbad, Melissa Roberts at the Grace House, as well as the two young
artists from Grace House who assisted with the mural. Jesus “Chuy”
Melero, a Carlsbad High School Teacher assisted with this project during
his time as a Teacher- Ranger-Teacher at the park, as well as after he
returned to the classroom, and the park‟s maintenance staff, designed
and built the frame for the mural. We thank everyone who was involved in
this project in bringing it to fruition.”
Park information, including park conditions,
closures or restrictions, weather and program information, may be found
on the park‟s website at www.nps.gov/GUMO/, on the park‟s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Guadalupe.
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