MURAL IN A DAY – “THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL”

Main Street Murals is proud to announce it's 4th annual "Mural in a Day" event to be held on Saturday 28th April. The historical theme for the community event of 2007 is “The Old Spanish Trail”, said to have been “the longest, crookedest, most arduous pack mule trail in the history of America” and is also one of the least known. Yet between 1829 – 1848, hundreds of traders, soldiers, merchants, horse thieves and Indians traveled the tortuous route between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The tales of this trail record the activities, the successes and failures of peoples of many ethnic origins who laid the foundation of society in the southwest and California. This year Main Street Murals have developed their Mural in a Day event and are leading an educational art history program involving school children from the local community. This project will involve around thirty children from six schools in the Barstow area who are involved with the GATE program. The students are spending the months leading up to the event researching the history and geography of the Old Spanish Trail, looking into it’s significance as a trading route, building a life size mule and topographical map and reproducing some of the traded articles, then using the information discovered they will create designs of their own which will be used to make the final mural image. The students will be guided by a team of experienced teachers and artists headed by Candice Michelson, David Brockhurst, Kathy Fierro and Jane Laraman-Brockhurst, who aim to make this a unique lesson in community history and creative art. The pupils will also have the opportunity to attend field trips and experience presentations by local specialist historians. The site for the mural painting will be the east wall of 111 East Main Street, (the large 2 storey building on the corner of 1st and Main – Route 66. This new addition will be the eighth mural of the existing walking gallery that decorates down town. (There are a total of 30 murals planned). In keeping with the historic theme of The Old Spanish Trail, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will be creating a Fiesta atmosphere and Mexican Trading Post adjacent to the mural painting. Throughout the day a feast of Mexican music, dance and traditional crafts will be on display for all to enjoy. In addition, Steve Smith of The Mojave River Museum will also be leading Historical Guided tours of down town Barstow. Main Street Murals is an established non-profit organization that believes in using art as a force to revitalize, improve and enhance Barstow, to promote tourism and community pride by painting a visual and cultural bridge between past, present and future. A donation to the Mural in a Day event embraces and benefits the whole community and is tax deductible. If you would like to join the Main Street Mural team or require further information, please contact: Jane Laraman-Brockhurst 760-256-1052