Vibrant mural reflects culture

At first, Juan Argueta was nervous when he was asked if a mural could be located on his Quetzal Imports store.

It wasn't the idea of a mural, but the theme that had Argueta worried — La Llorona, or the weeping woman.

In Mexican folklore, La Llorona is said to have drowned her own children and now forever wanders the earth, weeping, in search of children to steal away.

Argueta said at first he was afraid the mural would frighten away the children who frequent his store in the west-side Guadalupe neighborhood.

But the mural went ahead, and rather than depicting an evil spirit, its vibrant colors bring to life a different twist on the legend — La Llorona's pre-Columbian predecessor, the Mayan Earth goddess Cihuacoatl. Unlike La Llorona, who harmed children, Cihuacoatl protected them.

Looking at the mural Friday and smiling as the final touches were carefully added, Argueta nodded with approval, calling it "very pretty."

The mural, to be unveiled today at 4 p.m., is the result of two $6,000 grants, one from the Utah Arts Council and one from Salt Lake Neighborhood Housing Services. The unveiling will include traditional foods and marimba music.

The mural was created at the store on 600 West and 500 North by local artist Ruby Chacon, with the help of seven teenage contributing artists.

"It's part of my culture," said artist Marisela Amezquita, 17. "It shows other people the Mexican culture, the people before the legend, it's known as a scary story."

Amezquita and another artist, Shannon D. Francisco, 17, said they're excited to show their families what they've helped to create. They added a personal touch. Cihuacoatl's bright red dress is full of the outline of faces, friends and family of the artists involved.

The teenage artists took an art course from Chacon before starting on the project. While Chacon did the design work, she took suggestions from the young artists. Chacon said she enjoyed her first outdoor mural project. The wall's stucco texture and unreliable weather made the project a challenge, she said.

"It's definitely different from easel painting, where I'm alone doing my own thing," said Chacon. "It's very satisfying for me, especially when you have committed young adults."

Maria Garciaz, executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services, said her organization is already in the beginning stages of another mural project, which may be larger and more expensive, located on the I-15 underpass at 300 North.

"(The projects) send a message to the community that we're celebrating diversity and difference," she said. "Hundreds of people have stopped to ask (Chacon) what she is doing."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com