Showing posts with label murals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label murals. Show all posts

Monday, January 30, 2017

Marching to the Dug Out


Have you seen the mural going up on the back wall of the Veterans Memorial Building? Be sure to take a quick peek when you drive by the building on East Street.


Monday, May 2, 2016

La Bamba


La Bamba is the theme of one of the murals painted on utility boxes in historical downtown (or is it downtown historical?) Hollister. In 2015, the City of Hollister funded a mural arts project, employing the talents of local artists Joel Esqueda and Roland Resendiz to create five murals that represent  different cultural aspects of San Benito County.

La Bamba was a 1987 movie written and directed by Luis Valdez, who is the founder of El Teatro CampesiƱo, based in San Juan Bautista, and considered the father of Chicano theater in the United States. The movie is a biographical story about rock-and-roll legend Ritchie Valens who turned the Mexican folk tune "La Bamba" into a popular rock-and-roll song in the 1950s. Unfortunately, Valens' life was struck short, along with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper, when their airplane crashed upon take off.

Some parts of La Bomba were filmed in San Benito County.

Today is Monday Murals, a weekly meme hosted by Oakland Daily Photo, at which I'm linking up. Click here to see murals in other parts of the world.


Monday, March 14, 2016

The Hollister Mural, Revisited


As I walked by the open green space on San Benito Street, I noticed the great full view of the Hollister mural painted by Ernie Valles. The mural's a beauty, don't you think? The artist painted a map of downtown Hollister during the mid-20th century, as well as of some of the iconic buildings of our town.

If you haven't checked out the mural yet, then what are you waiting for? If you don't want to go out in today's rain, then click here for a few other photos that I posted in 2010.


Tuesday, September 8, 2015

The Big Fish of Aromas


The next time you're in Aromas, about 18 miles to the west of Hollister, check out the huge, cheerful, colorful fish hanging out in the Aromas Town Square Park. It's bound to put a smile on your face. 

The mosaic fish made up of smaller fishes was created by over 200 Aromas residents and friends. The story goes that the Aromas Fraternal Order of Eagles thought it would be a great idea to have public art on display in the community park. So, naturally, the Eagles approached the Aromas Hills Artisans.  They brainstormed and brainstormed. Then, pop! Big Fish in a Small Town


The perfect idea was inspired from a trip Aromas artist and resident Tina Baine took to the Camcheon Culture Village in Busan, Korea where she saw an art display of a big fish made up of smaller fishes that looked like the big fish's scales.  The art project began in November, 2014. 

Residents gathered at community events, such as the Aromas Grange Breakfast, and at community venues, such as Aromas School, as well as at homes to paint little fishes. On April 12, 2015, the gorgeous Big Fish was installed in the Aromas Town Square Park, across from Aromas Library.

Very cool!


To see more photos of the Big Fish in a Small Town, check out this page at the Aromas Hills Artisans website.  Also, check out this interesting article by Tina Baine about the Big Fish project and the inspiration behind it.


Today, I'm linking up at Our World Tuesday. Come check out what bloggers are posting about their part of the world, by clicking here


Monday, July 27, 2015

Fremont Memorial Tunnel


A long time ago, a tunnel was built beneath Fourth Street so that schoolchildren could safely cross the busy street to go to and from Fremont School, which used to be where the present-day courthouse stands.



Recently, a mural honoring the memory of Fremont School and the schoolchildren was painted on the Fourth Street underpass. It's an amazing mural, full of life and brilliant colors.


The designer, Arturo Rosette, the Fine Arts Chair at Gavilan College, based the mural on photos he found in the San Benito County Historical Society's archives. The silhouettes are of children who went to Fremont School, including the mural's painter, Roy Darr II.


For more about the mural, check out this story by John Chadwell at BenitoLink.com. And, to check out another Downtown Hollister mural designed by Arturo Rosette, click here.

Today is the Monday Mural meme, hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. Click here to check out other murals from around the world.


Monday, June 22, 2015

A Field of Bell Peppers


I spotted another Ag in Classroom sign on McCloskey Road. This one is for the Filice Farms. To see more signs that honor our local farmers, check this link.

Today, I'm linking up at Monday Mural, hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. Click here to see what murals other bloggers around the world are sharing.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Another Utility Box Mural


The utility box on the corner of San Benito and Fifth Streets now wears a fun mural honoring the biker history of Hollister. It's the third of five utility boxes that are part of a mural art project funded by the City of Hollister.


The murals are painted by local artists Joel Esqueda and Roland Resendiz. Each utility box sports a theme that represents the culture and history of Hollister and San Benito County. Click here to see two other utility box murals already completed in Downtown Hollister.


If you're interested in learning about Hollister's biker history, click here.

I'm participating in Monday Murals, hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from around the world, click here.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

The Mural Behind the Sports Posters


The next time you sit on the patio at the Third Base Burger Bar on San Benito Street, check out the mural on the wall behind the sports posters. This beautiful mural, titled Fruited Plains, was painted seven years ago by art students at Gavilan College under the direction of Dr. Arturo Rosette. To read more about the mural, as well as see additional photos of it, please click here.

The Fruited Plains mural in Brown Alley.


Friday, April 24, 2015

U is for. . .


Utility boxes.

Last December, the City of Hollister funded a project to paint murals on five plain utility boxes throughout Downtown Hollister. The murals, painted by Joel Esqueda and Rolan Resendiz, local artists, depict various cultural aspects of Hollister and San Benito County.

The mural on the utility box at the northwest corner of South and San Benito Streets celebrates cowboys and the annual rodeo.


At the northwest corner of North and San Felipe Streets is another utility box with a colorful mural. It honors the Ballet Folklorico, a traditional Mexican dance performed at local festivities.


On this utility box is a poem by local award-winning poet Rachelle Linda Escamilla. It reads:
"Our hands, like water, 
shape the land. 
Our bodies split 
the grassland; 
this valley 
a labor of love."
~ Rachelle Escamilla 


Click here to find other A to Z challenge participants.


Monday, March 16, 2015

Ocean Mural in Downtown Hollister


The biker's mural on the Wentz Alley side of Johnny's Bar and Grill  is a familiar sight. Hundreds of bikers and tourists take photos of it as they visit Hollister, the "Birthplace of the American Biker." Not so familiar is the ocean mural on Johnny's patio.


Today, I'm linking up with Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from other parts of the world, please click here.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The Afternoon Light


Walking east on Wentz Alley the other afternoon, I got excited as I approached the Biker mural at San Benito Street. No garbage cans! Finally, I could get an unobstructive view of Johnny's Bar & Grill mural. But, then, I noticed the light. Oh, well. It still was a great photo opportunity. 

By the way, the Hollister Freedom Rally is set for July 3, 4, and 5.  For more info about the rally, head over to it's official website

Today, I'm hooking up with NatureFootstep's Digital Art Meme. Click here to see awesome work by bloggers from around the world.


Monday, November 17, 2014

Good Morning, Tigers!


Nearly every school day, around 8 a.m., I hear the starting bell ring at Sunnyslope School and, a few seconds later, the noise of the PA system. A cheerful voice (I presume the principal) comes on and says, "Good Morning, Tigers!" When the weather is just right, I can also hear the announcements and  the daily joke, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by one of the Tigers. I love it!


Sunnyslope School is where I went to fourth and fifth grades in the ancient days. We had no school mascot. But, we did have more running and play space. Today, a lot of the open school yard and field that we played in are covered with buildings full of classrooms.

Yesterday, when the Husband and I walked by the school, we noticed the colorful murals hanging on the outside walls. Many of them look like the work of the Tigers. And, yes, I wish we could've painted outdoor murals back then.

 
Today, I'm linking up with Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from other parts of the world, please click here.



Monday, September 15, 2014

The Hidden Deer Hunter


This is what I like about Photoshop: By cropping and enlarging a part of an image, I find treasure. For instance, I don't think I would have ever noticed the deer hunter in the mural on the old Muenzer's store on Fifth Street in downtown Hollister. All these years, I thought it was just a deer up there. But, then, after all, Muenzer's was where folks used to buy their sporting goods and fishing and hunting licenses.

Here's the full image of the deer mural, which is on the right-hand side of the store name. (And, if you click here, you can see a close-up of the other side of the mural.)


Today, I'm hooking up at Monday Mural. Hope you'll join me to check out murals from other parts of the world by clicking here.

Friday, September 5, 2014

A Downtown Reflection

 
As I was walking past the empty shop on San Benito Street, next to Wentz Alley, I noticed the  reflection in the shop's window. It's the biker mural on the side of the infamous Johnny's Bar & Grill. Click here to see how it looks first hand. A pretty cool mural, don't you agree?

Take 25 in Hollister is six years old today! Whoooo-hoooo! For the curious, here's the link to the first post, What a Cute Town! Hollister most certainly is.

I'm hanging out at Weekend Reflections today. To see other reflections from around the world, please click here.


Monday, August 11, 2014

Veterans' Mural on Third Street


Last month, artist Philip Ray Orabuena and his friends painted a mural dedicated to the Veterans of the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars on the retaining wall at the bottom of Park Hill on Third Street. Check out their story at BenitoLink: "Veterans' Mural Makes a Statement" and at San Benito County Today: "Painting the Town Patriotic Through Mural".

Below are close-ups of the 105-foot long mural. Before you take a look, I'd like you know that I'm hooking up this post at Monday Murals. If you'd like to see murals from other parts of the U.S. and the world, click over to this link after checking the close-ups of the Veterans' Mural.










Monday, April 7, 2014

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Wizard's Cafe


When you're driving north on San Felipe Road, do you sometimes notice the Wizard's Cafe on the right as you're passing by the airport? If you're like me, you think, "Gee, I forget about the Wizard's Cafe." Or, if you haven't been there before, maybe, "I should try it some time."

The Wizard's Cafe is a neat diner run by Corbin for its employees and customers. It's also open to the public. According to Corbin's website, the cafe is open from Thursday to Saturday, 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM. 

And, yes, that's a mural of Marlon Brando's character from the movie, The Wild One.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Hanging on the Corner of 5th & San Benito

One afternoon the Husband and I were sitting on the bench at the southwest corner of 5th and San Benito, after waddling down the sidewalk from eating a couple of yummylicious burgers at Grillin & Chillin Downtown. That's quite a delightful corner to watch the world go by on a lovely afternoon. As usual, the little non obtrusive camera found its way out of my purse and into my hands to click away. Voila! 

Wentz Alley

Without trying, I now have a series I shall call Hanging on the Corner of 5th and San Benito in Hysterical... okay, Historical...Downtown Hollister. Short title: The View from 5th & San Benito.

Bet you didn't know the series started last Friday with this post? Me, neither.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The Wild One

You can find not one, not two, but three murals around Hollister that feature a young, brooding Marlon Brando in biker mode.

Marlon Brando in Wentz Alley. . .


 Marlon Brando on East Street . . .

 

Marlon Brando on Technology Parkway . . .



Do you wonder why there are so many murals with Marlon Brando in Hollister

The answer: Read this post from the archives of  Take 25 to Hollister. 

February 18 to 24 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: Bikers, Motorcycles, and Hollister 

Monday, February 18, 2013

Destination: Birthplace of the American Biker

The theme this week, February 18 to 24,  is Bikers, Motorcycles, and Hollister. . .

A common sight: Visiting bikers taking photos of the cool mural on Wentz Alley.

Bikers rumbling through downtown Hollister on any given day is a regular thing. Many of them are visitors who have come to experience the Birthplace of the American Biker. They come singly, in duos, as trios, and in packs of four or more. Some just drive through as they head to near and far in San Benito County, while others pull up and rest a spell.

How did Hollister become known as the Birthplace of the American Biker? Because of what took place on the July 4th weekend in 1947, in which the City of Hollister decided to commemorate in 1997 with a 50th anniversary biker rally. And, that began the annual motorcycle rally that became known to bikers far and wide. To read more about the 1947 event, go to this page at Take 25 to Hollister.

By the way, the official Hollister Independence Biker Rally is back this year: July 5 and 6, 2013. Head over to The Hollister Rally Web site for information.



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