By Dolores Cullen, Storm Lake Times Pilot
The logistics of creating one tile mosaic in two countries almost backfired for Mexican artists Mary Carmen Olvera and Gael Garcia.
For months they painstakingly pieced together the mural depicting the Virgin of Guadalupe’s appearance to Mexican peasant Juan Diego. The tile pieces, glued to a flexible plastic backing, were then separated into sections and packed in two large suitcases, sandwiched between items of clothing.
It made for heavy suitcases, which they flew safely with the artists from Zacatlan, Mexico to Dallas, Tex. last Saturday.
But when they arrived in Des Moines, where were the suitcases? “It was going around one time, two times,” recalled Mary Carmen of her worried search of the carousel in the airport. “I say, ‘Where are the suitcases?’”
Mary Carmen, in her best English, went to the American Airlines desk, pleading. She showed the attendant a photo of the finished mural on her cell phone. “I said, ‘I have my artwork in there.’ I said, ‘Okay, please call to Dallas.’”
The woman at the desk took a second look. “Oh how beautiful. I’m going to Storm Lake to see the Virgin.”
As the airport staff got on the phone, Mary Carmen and Gael joined Storm Laker Doug Marroquin who had come to retrieve them from the airport. They drove to Home Depot to pick up supplies: plywood on which to fix the mural parts, grout to stick the pieces together, extra tile for a border and a few tools.
A few prayers later they returned to the airport and the heavy suitcases had arrived.
The rest of the project has moved smoothly. At Witter Gallery Monday, Mary Carmen and Gael carefully pieced the mural together. On Thursday they added grout. The finished piece will be presented to St. Mary’s Church where it will be permanently installed.
The mural is a gift to St. Mary’s and the community, supported by Dick Davis, the California benefactor who supports the artists and became interested in the town of Storm Lake, especially its international flavor.
Readers will remember Davis and Olvera’s first visit to Storm Lake last year, where a mural of the Storm Lake welcome sign was created.
The idea of multiple mosaic murals around the City of Storm Lake as public art, under the guidance of the Zacatlan group, may actually become reality. Witter Gallery personnel have raised money and found spaces to further the project.
“This is just the beginning of what we hope to do depending on the fundraising and interest in the community, which is high,” says Witter Gallery board president Julie Steinfeld.
Facebook Comments