Yuma youth leave their mark with new mural
Adrik Vargas
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – What started as a blank wall at Kennedy Skate Park is now a vibrant mural filled with bold colors, cartoon characters, and movement. And the people behind it are local youth who never expected to become artists.
The project, titled “Toony High Jinks” is part of the city’s Summer Mural Program. Participants designed and painted the comic-style mural after two weeks of learning art basics like color theory and shading.
“The feeling of achieving something like this for anybody, it opens their mind to new possibilities,” said mural instructor Lisseth Carillo.
For many of the students, it was their first time picking up a brush. Jesus De Loa, one of the participants, said he learned more than just painting techniques.
“They taught me how to paint, how to coat, how to do different layers, how to mix colors,” he said. “They taught me the color palette and I can literally make any color out of three colors.”
The mural is one of about 30 created through the program over the last 28 years. Beyond learning skills, students are also contributing something that lasts in their own community.
“Them being proud of the work that they did, and them feeling like they achieved something that beautifies their community, is very satisfactory to me,” Carillo said.
For De Loa, the experience meant pushing through self-doubt.
“They taught me not to give up,” he said. “There were many times I didn’t feel like I could do it because I’m not an artist. But they told me to keep going, and look at what we accomplished.”