The City of Santa Ana sponsored a mural painting project today at Santiago Park. Over one hundred volunteers showed up – some from surrounding cities, according to Gerardo Mouet, the Director of the Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Agency.
Mouet worked hard on this project, raising money to pay for it and raising more money to feed his army of volunteers. Many of the teens who are part of the Santa Ana Library’s Teen Space were there today from as early as 6:30 a.m., to help set up.
Artist Roberto Del Hoyo was born and raised in Los Angeles. He received his bachelor degree in Studio Art with concentration in painting, from the California State University of Los Angeles. He then earned an MFA in public practice at the OTIS College of Art and Design.
Mouet asked Del Hoyo to come up with a design that reflected the natural surroundings at Santiago Park – and that linked to the theme of the Discovery Science Center, as the mural was painted in a walkway that goes under Main St., connecting the park to the Discovery Science Center.
Del Hoyo did so brilliantly. The mural features the California Wild Rose, which grows in the park. You can also make out the Santa Ana River and an abundance of river rocks – but take a close look. The rocks feature glyphs used by the native Tongva people who once lived in the region and were later dubbed the Gabrielinos, by the Spanish.
The mural also features native Eucalyptus leaves.
As you walk by the mural, from east to west, you will see it morph, just as you emerge from the walkway, to futuristic science themes, hinting at the Discovery Science Center.
Much of the mural is protected by steel bars. The entire painting will be coated with a clear coat that can be easily cleaned if it is tagged. Mouet hopes taggers will respect the mural as it was painted by local youth.
Del Hoyo has also painted a mural at Santa Ana’s El Salvador Park and he is slated to begin a mural at Memorial Park’s Bandstand, in February of this year.
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I live around the corner from this park and am glad to see this wall brighten up with the mural. The security bars, however, are atrocious and make the area look even sadder. Art behind bars is a terrible metaphor in our community.