Holtville unveils studentdesigned city mural
HOLTVILLE – After a lot of hard work and extensive fundraising, Imperial Valley Public Art (IVPA), Inc. and Holtville High School art instructor Alfredo Guzman are pleased to announce the unveiling of the latest mural in town.
According to a press release from Imperial Valley Public Arts, the mural unveiling, which was led by Guzman, took place on Sunday, February 12, during the annual Carrot Festival.
The mural reads “Greetings from Holtville,” and pays homage to Holtville landmarks honoring the vitality and essence of this small tight-knit community, according to a press release. The artwork is credited to Guzman’s high school art students. The artist of choice is a local Imperial Valley resident that goes by the artist name PASIB, according to the release.
The mural is located on the corner of W. 5th Street and Cedar Avenue across the street from Family Dollar and Hotrods. The Turner family owns the building that the mural is painted on and provided help with utility access and setup while the project was ongoing, the release reads.
“We hope whoever sees the mural will feel immense pride for the city of Holtville,” said Araceli Mangione, Director and Founder of IVPA. “This area is home to a colorful community of hard-working people. This mural is a gift to honor the traditions and history of Holtville.”
“My class of twenty graphic design students went through the design thinking process to create multiple versions of the ‘Greetings From Holtville’ mural design,” Guzman said. “The
HHS (Holtville High School) Art Club, which has twelve members, helped by speaking at the Holtville City Council meeting and bringing positive attention to the project so it could get approved and funded. Roughly ten HHS student volunteers helped by prepping the wall space for the professional muralist in the weeks leading up to the mural being finished.”
“The experience of completing the mural project has been a lot of work, but worth it,” Guzman said.
“The thing I enjoyed most about being a part of this project is the ability to provide something for my town, being a part of something that will last a long time,” HHS senior and graphic design student, Skylar Hanson, said.
“This gives me a sense of leaving my mark on this town. Art in our community helps express what our town is truly about, it is a way for the people to express how they feel about our town,” Hanson said.
“I hope that the mural gets more people involved in the arts and that more art will become visible in our community,” HHS Art Club President Yasmin Corral said.
Imperial Valley Public Art, a nonprofit organization, is still accepting donations to help fulfill overall project costs, the project being $1,200 short of meeting its goal. For more information, contact Mangione at imperialvalleymurals@ gmail.com.