Co-Editor: Natalie Jennings
Co-Editor: MaryJane Rodriguez
Through the art of our town murals, we see the many cultures of the Clovis community that have had a significant impact on generations for well over a century. After a memorable walk through Clovis’ alleyways, main streets, schools, and public parks, we find an incredible adventure of breathtaking masterpieces. The dictionary defines a mural as: “a painting or other work of art executed directly on a wall.” Amongst the murals in Clovis, described in this article, many different themes include: sports, nature, space, people, dinosaurs, music, and religious works of art.
Throughout these murals, a few were signed, but in our fame-driven society, what does this mean? This could mean that the mural is older or that the artist wanted to be unidentified. How does it change the way you view the murals? It makes a piece feel more like a community and prompts the questions: Why did the artist choose this design, and these colors; and why did they make this detail stand out more than another without the influence of a name?
Clovis New Mexico is an interesting place, from the pumpkin patch at St. Benard’s Farm to the murals all over town. Clovis may also be known for its prehistoric connection to the collection of its vibrant and colorful murals that each have their own story, and or background. The murals come from local history, culture, and community pride throughout the entire city.
These murals transform plain, ordinary walls into captivating agricultural pieces of art. Murals depict a variety of subjects like heritage, railroad history, unique natural landscapes, and the spirit of its people. Seeing and exploring these murals sometimes offers a fascinating glimpse into the heart and soul of Clovis, New Mexico.
Murals provide a visual representation and narrative that complements its archeological significance and adds a splash of color to the urban environment. From realistic portrayals to more abstract interpretations, Clovis murals invite many viewers like young kids and tourists the opportunity to connect with the city’s past, present, and future with its vibrant art style.
If Walls Could Talk: Part 1
Co-Editor: MaryJane Rodriguez
Milky Way
The Milky Way is exactly what the name says it is. It has a dark base and or background, stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies like Nebulae and Saturn. When The “Milky Way” mural was made, the two painters put a lot of thought into it, giving it a rich meaning: they came together as a team to cultivate such a beautiful depiction of space. The sheer scale of the mural, coupled with the dynamic interplay of color and form, evokes a sense of awe and wonder, reminding observers of the vastness and mystery of the universe. Passersby pause, drawn into the Milky Way’s beautiful sight, their everyday worries momentarily forgotten.
“The Milky Way” becomes a shared experience, fostering a sense of community and inspiring dialogue about art, science, and the infinite possibilities that lie beyond our world. “The Milky Way” by Nati and Seam doesn’t just adorn a wall; it transforms the space around it, captivating viewers with its cosmic grandeur.
Home on a Farm
Moving on to the next mural; “Home on a Farm” this is a mural based on a house built in a rural area, surrounded by yucca plants, cacti, mountains, roadrunners, and rabbits. It was created in May 1991 and is located on the side wall next to Mama Jean's Soul Food on 500 W 7th St.
The exterior of the farm home is clad in weathered wood, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape. A wide porch stretches across the front, inviting visitors to sit and enjoy the tranquil views of the surrounding countryside. The roof is covered in dark shingles, adding a touch of rustic charm. Inside, the home is warm and welcoming, with large windows that allow natural light to flood in. The interior design reflects the simplicity and practicality of farm life, yet it is imbued with a sense of comfort and style.
Hardwood floors creak underfoot, leading to cozy living areas where families gather around a crackling fireplace. The kitchen is the heart of the home, filled with the aromas of freshly baked bread and simmering stews. Built-in cabinetry and vintage appliances add to the home’s charm. This “Home on a farm” embodies the spirit of self-sufficiency and community, creating a haven of peace and prosperity for its inhabitants. This description provides a comprehensive overview of the farm home, its surroundings, and the lifestyle it supports, making it suitable for an article or narrative.
“Troops Celebration”
The next mural, titled “Troops Celebration,” is a powerful and evocative piece created by a John/Jane Doe artist located at 213 W Grand on the wall at the Clovis Trading Post LLC. Against the white wall, the compositions center around an eagle's head, symbolizing strength, freedom, and patriotism.
Next to the flag are the words “We honor our troops,” written in bold. This phrase serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by military personnel and the gratitude owed to them. The text is positioned in such a way that it seems to gaze directly into the eyes of the viewer, creating a personal and emotional connection.
Surrounding the eagle and to the left of the words is a large American flag, its stars and stripes vividly rendered. The flag waves proudly, adding to the sense of national pride and unity. The flag’s presence ties the entire composition together, reinforcing the theme of honoring and celebrating the troops capturing the eyes of the people who pass by and young viewers.
Overall, “Troops Celebration” is a striking and meaningful mural. The combination of the majestic eagle, the heartfelt words, and the iconic flag create a powerful tribute to the military and their service. John Doe’s artwork serves as a beautiful reminder of the importance of honoring those who serve our country.
“Bike Dude”
The last mural features a central figure, a “hippie” characterized by a bandana that reads “bike dude,” set against a vibrant checkered background incorporating the colors green, yellow, orange, blue, and red. The checkered pattern is filled with images of bicycles, symbolizing themes of freedom, mobility, environmentalism, and community.
The bright colors and bold lines create a dynamic and visually striking composition that celebrates the ideals of the countercultural movement, emphasizing nonconformity, creativity, and sustainable living. Surrounding the central figure, the checkered background adds a sense of order and chaos, evoking playfulness and complexity.
The bicycles within the pattern suggest a connection to eco-friendly practices and the importance of personal transportation as a means of reducing carbon footprints. This element also highlights the hippie ethos of self-reliance and independence.
In the foreground, the “bike dude” stands as a symbol of the counterculture lifestyle, often associated with peace, love, and alternative living practices. The bandana with “bike dude” written on it likely signifies a personal mantra or identity tied to cycling culture, which is often seen as a healthier, more environmentally conscious alternative to driving.
The overall piece conveys a sense of unity, activism, and community spirit, inviting viewers to reflect on the enduring legacy of the hippie ethos. It serves as a powerful piece of public art that encapsulates the vibrancy and creativity of the countercultural movement while promoting themes of sustainability and personal freedom.
If Walls Could Talk: Part 2
Co-Editor: Natalie Jennings
Pioneer Woman
Downtown Clovis is an area with many shops, some new and some old; see, that's the charm in downtown Clovis. It is a great blend of new and old. Hotel Clovis is a historical building that was built in 1931 as a hotel but has since been converted to apartments. On the side of Hotel Clovis, there is a larger mural using the majority of the wall by Drew Merritt.
The mural, we will call it, “Pioneer Woman” is painted on brick, and consists mostly of neutral colors of blacks, whites, and browns. The woman herself is painted in simple colors; however, her lips are a distinct purplish pink which draws attention to that point. The mural also displays a wagon that is slightly behind the women. It's quite large and consists of dark and light colors giving the painting a wood grain look.
“Colored Waves”
Also downtown, in an alleyway near Salazar Monuments at 521 N Main St, Clovis, NM, is a mural that we will call “Colored Waves,” consisting of reds, blues, and yellows.This mural has many waved lines. Amongst these colors, there are many shades, including light yellow, darker and lighter red, navy blue, sky blue, and light blue. It is not the color that partially draws the eye in, the pattern of the wave catches the most attention.
“Home on the Range”
A mural on the side of Range Movement called “Home on the Range” illustrates a sunset and Spanish-style home. This mural gives an illustration of the city as well as the state. The sunset displayed in the background is a representation of our state's sunrises and sunsets and the plants in the mural are plants that we have seen throughout the town and state.
Hillcrest
At Hillcrest park near the splash pad, there are two similar murals that both display similar themes but are different in design; this is likely due to the fact they are done by the same artist Patsy Marie Delk. One which we will call “Rainbow Butterfly” is painted on a rusty red background that displays yucca plants, sunflowers, a hummingbird, and a large butterfly that is in rainbow colors. Yucca plants, sunflowers, and the hummingbird are all native to the area. However, the butterfly, with all its colors, draws in the eye; it's the drawing factor.
The similar mural also at Hillcrest, that we will call “Summer Butterflies,” is also done by Patsy Marie Delk. This mural displays sunflowers along with other plants with a few butterflies. This mural has a rusty colored background, blue and purple butterflies as well as orange and yellow butterflies. It's simple yet beautiful as it draws the attention of any passers-by.
On the outside of the Splash Pad there is a large, spanning mural that shows many sea creatures. Sea creatures such as seahorses, turtles, octopus, coral, fish, etc. This mural spans among three walls and is done by Patsy Marie Delk. It’s an underwater scene with many sea creatures that draws people of many ages in.
If Walls Could Talk: Part 3
Staff Writer: King Lucero
Music Artists From Back In the Day
The Mural is located at Downtown Main Street. It shows many artists from the mid 1950’s. This mural uses many colors and the background is a piece of music. There is a blue background with blue stars with red and yellow underneath. The piece of music is a guitar and car in the middle and on the right-hand side it shows “The King Of Rock and Roll” Elvis Presly, Aretha Franklin, songwriter and pianist “The Father of Rock and Roll” Chuck Berry, The Flamingos as well as other artists from the 1950’s.
“The Year that Changed Our World”
A very well known mural located in Clovis, New Mexico at Taco Box on 136 W 21st St was commissioned by the owner, Thomas Martin. Mr. Martin asked Ruben Amerta to paint this mural that highlights a lot of events that happened around 1969. The mural shows a couple famous rock bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. In addition to the bands in 1969, The Rolling Stones had their second U.S Tour.
Sesame Street is shown in the artwork, which had a huge cultural and media impact for the community. Around this time, the Vietnam War was in the most heated state and most people were scared of the draft and the war. Richard Nixon was elected in 1969. The Jets won the Super Bowl
The Cannon Air Force Base was built in 1942 and opened that same year. The base has had a very big impact in our country's history. The base helped in WW2 around 1941 and the cold war in 1947. The Cannon Air Force will fly over the fields for big events and football games for the military. They also transport supplies.
Coldwell Banker Mural
The mural on 600 N. Main St. depicts the football team and the marching band on the right side of the mural. The mural shows a tuba player as well as a snare player, and was made to look like a football homecoming game. In the background, we can see the scores and the guest football team along with the Clovis Wildcat football team. It shows the homecoming king and Jester.
On the left hand side it shows a truck and some houses. The truck shows on the license plate the name Holly referring to Holly Stockstill the owner of Coldwell Banker and has been in the business for over 10 years found on Coldwell Banker website. There is also a dog, beach ball, beach umbrella and a chair. The mural also shows houses and a boy tossing newspapers. There is also a house that is sold by Coldwell Banker. This mural represents the culture of Clovis and how Coldwell Banker has been helping us in our community.
Past, Present and Future
This mural shows the past, the present and the future. On the left side is a group of Sauropods and two Raptors. It Is surrounded by trees, mountains and clouds. In the middle, there is a mammoth facing the right side of the mural. On the left side of the mammoth is a neanderthal jumping, trying to hit the mammoth. On the right side of the mammoth is a neanderthal with a spear pointed at the mammoth and by that neanderthal is a small tree.
On the right side of the mural is a train, one of the biggest inventions of mankind and leap into the present. By the train there are the stars, earth, and the moon showing what the future could look like.
If Walls Could Talk: Part 4
Proof Editor: Elena Rodriguez
Cultural Classroom
The mural at La Casita Elementary School on 400 Davis St, Clovis, NM is a vibrant piece of art that reflects the rich culture the state features. It's such a powerful and heartwarming part of La Casita. It represents hope, innocence, and the bright future of the community. The mural at La Casita represents a classroom depicting a vibrant scene of children raising their hands or looking in front of the classroom.
This mural captures a moment of enthusiasm and participation, most likely symbolizing the importance of community and education in their culture. The bright colors and expressive faces of the children convey a sense of joy and showing eagerness to learn. It reveals the cultural value placed on education and active engagement in the community.
The children are shown in various poses with bright smiles and expressive eyes. The background is filled with a mix of vibrant colors, green, blue, and lavender pink. The teacher is shown in front of the classroom with a big black hat; he is dressed like a cowboy with a red handkerchief around his waist that represents his culture. On the mural there are arms wrapped around the painting making it look like it’s hugging the children. On the wrist of the arms there is golden jewelry representing Clovis, New Mexico.
The American Flag
This mural of the American flag was found on a train car by Green Acres Park and James Bickley in Clovis, New Mexico. The American flag was made on June 14, 1777; the mural represents the state of the United States of America.
The Continental Congress adopted the stars and stripes as the official flag for the United States of America. The mural symbolizes Clovis, New Mexico, as Clovis is part of the U.S. The flag represents the symbol of peace and freedom; before which Americans recite the pledge of allegiance.
The American Flag has bright and vibrant colors. It has three secondary colors red, blue and white; there are red, and white stripes with 50 white stars standing out agains the blue. With the bright colors of the American flag it catches the attention of anyone when they pass it. The mural is shown in waves, making the flag sway back and forth showcasing it as 3D because of wind blowing against it.
The Rosary
The next mural is named ‘The Rosary’ which is filled with different sets of religious paintings put into one big painting."The Rosary” got its name because the painting has a beautiful meaning about religious themes with Jesus, cherubs, white doves, and Christians expressing their love and participation in God. The mural has bright, vibrant and faded colors along with a couple different designs.
In one of the corners there shows a man with a cross rosary with an angel holding onto it. In the middle of the mural, there are women sitting down at a brown desk. One is dressed in blue and white while the other is dressed in all white dresses. They are looking down like they are praying with Jesus looking down at them.
This artwork is shown in such a beautiful way that it catches the attention of anyone who passes by it. There is a prayer on the mural which reads “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell” which is also known as the Fatima Prayer. The painting has a few different designs, a space-like background with shooting stars going into Earth, clouds around the corner showcasing the cherubs lying on top of them, white doves as well as Jesus.
The overall theme of the mural appears to be serene and holy, having such a heartwarming and loving scenery; with a sense of reverence and spiritually. The setting of the mural seems to be rich in cultural and religious symbolism, making an illustration about a significant biblical event or message.
If Walls Could Talk: Conclusion
In conclusion, murals will always have some form of a meaning, both personal or general. A mural will always have a drawing factor. We took a walk through downtown, down alleyways, around schools, and parks, and found art surrounding us; art that is easily overlooked; art that is not found in galleries, yet not lacking the emotion expressed through color and imagery within them. So the next time you're driving around town, keep a lookout for the art within these murals or you will miss them.
Purple Press is a publication vehicle for student expression.
The school board encourages students to express their views in school-sponsored publications and to observe rules for responsible journalism. This means expression that falls into any of the following categories shall not be permitted: any expression which is false or obscene, libelous, slanderous, or defamatory under state law, which presents a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts, violation of school rules or materials and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school or which violates the privacy rights of others.
Student editors of school-sponsored publications are responsible for determining the news, opinion, and advertising content of the publication. The publication's advisor is responsible for supervising the production of the publication and for teaching and encouraging free responsible expression and professional standards of journalism.
The views expressed in the Purple Press are not necessarily those of Clovis High School or the Clovis Municipal School Board of Education.
Advisor: Augustine Martinez
Editor-in-chief - Lukas Stephens
Design Editor: Lukas Stephens
Editor: Natalie Jennings
Proof-Editor: Purple Press is a publication vehicle for student expression.
The school board encourages students to express their views in school-sponsored publications and to observe rules for responsible journalism. This means expression that falls into any of the following categories shall not be permitted: any expression which is false or obscene, libelous, slanderous, or defamatory under state law, which presents a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts, violation of school rules or materials and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school or which violates the privacy rights of others.
Student editors of school-sponsored publications are responsible for determining the news, opinion, and advertising content of the publication. The publication's advisor is responsible for supervising the production of the publication and for teaching and encouraging free responsible expression and professional standards of journalism.
The views expressed in the Purple Press are not necessarily those of Clovis High School or the Clovis Municipal School Board of Education.
Advisor: Augustine Martinez
Editor-in-chief - Lukas Stephens
Design Editor: Lukas Stephens
Co-Editor: Natalie Jennings
Co-Editor: Mary Jane Rodriguez
Proof Editor: Elena Rodriguez
Staff writers: King Lucero