Corali Ramirez and Gonzales Summer Festival promoter Richard Vazquez touch up the first part of the 30 by 30-foot mural that will serve as a backdrop for the festival at Centennial Park on July 31 and Aug. 1. Photo by Laureen Diephof.

Gonzales artist Corali Ramirez was astounded at the size of the mural she agreed to paint, which, when finished, will be the backdrop for the Gonzales Summer Festival, taking place July 31 and Aug. 1 at Centennial Park.

“The woman kept rolling, and rolling and rolling the material out,” Ramirez said. “It was a real heavy package when it got folded up and I carried it out to my car.”

“The mural for the backdrop is thirty feet by thirty feet,” said festival promoter Richard Vazquez.

“Yeah, I didn’t know it was going to be this big when Richard asked me if I would volunteer to do the painting,” Ramirez said, and she hit Richard on the arm. They both laughed.

Concert promoter Vazquez, and long time friend, said Ramirez was the perfect person to paint the backdrop.

“It will be a scene of Gonzales, including history and everything that makes up Gonzales,” he said.

She tackled one third of the material by sketching it first and then she painted it in by herself. This section was sketched and partially painted on the American Legion Hall floor, and was moved to the high school.

She will sketch the other two sections and ask volunteers to fill it in with paint. “I’ll do the finishing touches,” she said.

“The whole project when it is finished will incorporate much of what makes up the valley,” said Ramirez.

Farm labors, the train, Community Church, St. Theodore’s Catholic Church, the water tower, the Old La Gloria School, Fairview warrior mascot, cowboys, grapes and wine are all to be included in the giant mural.



For the complete article see the 07-14-2010 issue.

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