Colorful new mural celebrates Yuma’s history
People swimming in the Colorado River. Golfers living it up on the Desert Hills Golf Course with the Yuma water tower in sight. Agriculture fields, the Yuma Endurance plane, sand dunes.
These are some of the features iconic to the Yuma region. They’re what make Yuma Yuma. And they’re all part of a newly painted mural gracing a wall at the Yuma International Airport.
The airport’s Gen Grosse and Sarah Halligan approached Yuma artists Lia and Stefanie Littlewood about painting a mural. They wanted to “spark up” the airport as well as the community.
“As a strong community partner, Yuma International Airport is proud to be a ‘Port of Opportunity’ for over 154,000 guests who arrive and depart Yuma each year for business or leisure,” Grosse wrote in a sponsorship letter.
“The airport team realizes the importance of each guests’ experience at the airport reflects on our entire community, therefore we’ve stepped up our customer service game, incorporated Yuma’s rich history into our decor, implemented the Airport Ambassador program to assist guests and help to promote Yuma’s events and businesses.”
Part of incorporating Yuma’s history into the decor is the mural, which is 121
feet long, 6 feet at its tallest.
The airport had already worked with the Littlewoods, who are twin sisters, by displaying and selling some of their paintings at the airport.
Grosse noted that “this particular piece is to embrace and extend our gratitude to the people who choose to visit Yuma.”
The mural encapsulates what makes Yuma, tying its features together, Halligan said.
The end result is a “colorful timestamp of Yuma today. It has all our favorite things,” said Lia, president and founder of Littlewood Fine Art and Community Co-Op.
For example, it includes the first aircraft flown into Yuma — and the state — in 1911 by Robert Fowler and F-35s, which represents Yuma’s close connection to the military.
The mural even shows humor with “golfers laughing at each other — and us,” Stefanie quipped.
After weeks of working on the mural, usually starting at 4 a.m. to avoid the searing heat of daylight, Lia and Stefanie, with help from Kimberly Dickerson who worked on lettering, have now completed the mural.
It is located on a wall near the exit to the airport. “You’re going to see it no matter what. It will brighten people’s day,” Halligan noted.
Lia sees it as a reflection of the community’s hunger for art.
“This is a renaissance period,” she said. “It’s very wonderful to see the support for better, timeless beauty. It’s cool to see that kind of Yumanness. This mural has been a blast.”
It’s also part of NextGen’s Mural a Month program. Eventually Lia hopes that all the murals around town are put on a map for residents and visitors.
In the meantime, the Littlewoods are looking for more mural opportunities. They can be reached at 928276-3724.
The mural is only the beginning. The airport is also working on a multi-use path and an entrance sign.
In her letter, Grosse noted that an existing multiuse path abruptly ends at the intersection of 32nd Street and Pacific Avenue. The airport team built a rough path but seeks the community’s support to help create a more permanent and safe multi-use path.
Yuma International Airport recently provided a presentation to the Clean and Beautiful Commission, which is in support of the project, Grosse said.
Yuma’s Public Works team designed the project, and it will include a multiuse walk/bike path.
The project also includes partnerships with the Yuma Union High School District welding students to create a new entrance sign and with Weld Like a Girl for welding events inviting the community to craft aviation related figures/ features that will be placed along the path for all to enjoy, Grosse said.
Yuma International Airport is a nonprofit organization and does not receive public funds. The airport has a budget of $23,000 for the path and landscaping for the $7,300 sign.
It is seeking sponsorships from community partners to complete this project. Donations are tax deductible.
For more information, call Grosse at (928) 726-5882.