"Illustrating Barstow's past to enhance its future"

Mural In A Day
April 28, 2007

Old Spanish Trail Mural

   Saturday 28th April was a beautiful day in Barstow and community artists and enthusiasts were about with paint brushes in hand ready to make an early start to the 4th annual Community Mural Project.  At 8am the pre-prepped mural wall situated at 111 East Main Street between 1st and 2nd Ave on Main Street, already looked impressive, as Master Artist David Brockhurst had marked in the background of this 32 foot mural in preparation for the community muralists.

   2007 saw the development of the Mural in a Day project into a full-blown community project as Main Street Murals introduced an educational program based on THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL involving students from Barstow Unified School District GATE program. The educational project began in January and Saturday’s event saw the final completion and hanging of the students’ work, which consisted of four mural images depicting key aspects of the trail.

   This years mural inspired a varied turn out of participants and spectators with over sixty people participating in the mural paint throughout the day. 

   Interested passers by were drawn in by the additional entertainment and music which was scheduled throughout the day and included Native Indian Mike Martinez and his family who shared their culture and invited the crowd to join them in a friendship dance, Steve Smith led historic tours of Down Town Barstow and murals, Sheriff Ricochet enticed the crowed with his gold panning tent whilst Clifford walker gave demonstrations of Dutch oven cooking with samples of Mexican Trader fare including his own recipe of Atole and the BLM headed a stand displaying forthcoming recycling and Summer workshops. Presentations on the Old Spanish Trail were given by Clifford Walker and Brad Mastin of the BLM.  Ira Gwin and his Old Style Music Quartet added further harmony to the event and were followed with musical extracts from the Old Spanish Trail Suite.  Mani Lopez of the Hispanic Chamber and KDUC gave amplification to the event and Nancy Summers of Main Street Murals took Polaroid’s of artists and spectators in front of the mural accompanied by a full sized sculpture of a mule created by GATE program students.

   Mayor Dale dropped by to show his support and say hello to the artists and chat with the GATE program students, as did members of the public and avid mural supporters who were keen to join the activities and chat with the artists and organizers.

   Artists stopped work as a procession of vintage Model T Fords passed by honking horns in joyous support and waving to the crowd, creating a scene reminiscent of Main Street Murals 1st Mural illustrating National Trail Highway as it became Route 66.

   All the activities were captured by Michael Murrey of Barstow Community college who videoed footage of the days event.

   The heat of the early morning took it’s toll on some artists who were grateful for shaded areas in which to rest and cool down with plenty of water and after the mornings busy activities the parents of the GATE program students served up a well earned pizza lunch for the children and artists and showed great support throughout the day.  Go parent’s!

   At 1.00pm certificates were handed to the GATE students in honor of their hard work and achievement over the four month project and final mural painting.  Students were sad that the project had come to a close and hoped to sign up for future Main Street Mural programs.

   The day came to a close at around 5.30pm as the group of hard core enthusiasts reviewed the mural and planned a work schedule to complete the piece in readiness for the Old Spanish Trail Association Conference in June.

Artist Kathy Fierro helps with the children’s panels

Presentation materials on display

Calico friends pitching a tent

Panning for gold

Clifford Walker serves hot pioneer biscuits

Master of Ceremonies, Main Street Murals President Jane Laraman-Brockhurst

Bringing life to the desert

Sharing cultures

Sharing cultures

Adding wildlife to the mural

The community joins in a hoop of life in the Friendship dance

Forming a snake in the friendship dance

Clifford Walker gives a lecture

Bluegrass band for entertainmentk

A BLM representative gives a lecture at the mural site

Master Artist David Brockhurst conferring on the mural

Adding more life to the mural

Some work on additional panels

Perched on scaffolding

Mixing paint colors

Overview of the mural site on Route 66

Children’s panels being hung

One of the mural sponsors providing music

Some of the Children’s presentation materials

Barstow clearly has a lively and developing artistic community displayed by the generous support of individuals and businesses in the area that have given their time effort and money to this worthwhile voluntary organization.

  Main Street Murals would like to publicly acknowledge and thank all the sponsors, donors and artists who have supported Mural in a Day and made this event possible:

Sponsors / Patrons

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Valley Ace Lumber            
Barstow Flower & Bridal           
Soroptimist                 

Donors of Supplies and services

The City of Barstow
Valley Ace Lumber
Vons
Stater Brothers
BNSF
Off Limits design
Wal-Mart
Bill & Jill Cook
Reynolds Ohai
MEEC
BLM
Barstow Public Library
Mojave River Valley Museum
Desert Discovery Center
Rose Beardshear
Clifford Walker
Brad Mastin
Mike Martinez and family                
David Romero
Jesse Byrd
Ira Gwin and his Old Style Music Trio
Candice Michelson – teacher at Henderson school and GATE program co-coordinator
Parents of Barstow Gate program students for their support and enthusiasm.

Goody Bag & Raffle Donors

Barstow Flower & Bridal
Tanger Outlets
KDUCK 94.3FM
           VnJ Professional Outfitter
Foster Freeze
Sparkle Car Wash
Calico wood shop
United Bank of California
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Mojave River Valley Museum
Del Taco
US ARMY

Media

Desert Dispatch
Desert West Media
KDUCK 94.3FM
The Highway Stations 98&99FM
Air America 12.30AM
Barstow Chamber of Commerce
Michael Murrey