Guanajuato’s sister city Ashland, Oregon has now a colorful entrance to Calle Guanajuato, where the new 24-foot-tall, 53-foot-long mural comissioned by Barry and Kathryn Thalden is now embellishing the street. Check out this interesting article published by Caitlin Fowlkes on Ashland Daily Tidings.
The Guanajuato mural was officially unveiled on Thursday June 30. The mural is on the exterior side wall of Sesame Asian Kitchen restaurant facing Calle Guanajuato. It depicts the vibrancy of Ashland’s Mexican sister-city Guanajuato, and is meant to serve as an attraction to the downtown area, as well as a representation of the strengthening bond between Ashland and Guanajuato.
“As you approach from Lithia Park, you see Calle Guanajuato,” said Barry Thalden. “I think it will attract people to that delightful area of Ashland. It’s sort of a grand entranceway.”
The 53-foot long, 24-foot high image depicts the mountains and colorful buildings and streets of Guanajuato.
Barry and Kathryn Thalden commissioned the mural and funded the project through the Thalden Foundation. The Thaldens fell in love with Guanajuato after visiting in 2015 and saw the need for a piece of public art depicting the sister-city.
“I believe my husband sees Ashland as one big canvas,” said Kathryn Thalden.
The Thaldens traveled to Guanajuato, Mexico and interviewed six artists from the area before selecting Laura “Loreta” Rangel Villaseñor, a self-taught mural artist from Guanajuato. Her work has been exhibited internationally.
“I wanted to capture the landscape of Guanajuato, the color of the city and the charming aspects,” said Villaseñor. “These are the highlights of the city, but only some.”
Villaseñor began painting the last weekend of May and finished Wednesday, according to Ann Seltzer, staff liaison for the Ashland Public Arts Commission. Villaseñor was assisted by four Southern Oregon University art majors.
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Source: Ashland Daily Tidings