We know everything you need to know about the beautiful new mural that was put up at Aptos’s Cabrillo College. The campus cafeteria now has a 42-foot-long work of art thanks to Yermo Aranda, a very creative artist from Watsonville, and a group of talented students from Cabrillo, who were led by their art teacher, Danielle Torvik-Staffen. Let’s find out the amazing story of how this magical painting came to life!
Students from Yermo Aranda and Cabrillo make up the “Dream Team.”
First things first: who came up with this cool mural? The 2021 Artist of the Year in Santa Cruz County is none other than Yermo Aranda, an artist from Watsonville. 18 great Cabrillo students and their art teacher, Danielle Torvik-Staffen, worked with him to make the mural come to life.
Being creative in the classroom: painting and murals
What made you think of all these ideas? It all began in the fall of 2023 in the art class called “Art: Painting and Mural.” This class was like a playground for their imaginations, and the six-week project was like a blank canvas for their art dreams.
The Mural’s Journey: From Ideas to Picture
Now let’s get to the good stuff: making ideas into works of art. Think of a blank canvas and a group of eager students. They came up with ideas together and picked themes like animals, insects, making canoes, crossing deserts, water, cacti, dancers, and felt like they were in Mesoamerica. In art class, they used acrylic and watercolor paints to bring this vivid picture to life.
Cheers to the New Year! Unveiling the Grand Prix
As the New Year began, it brought more than just resolutions. It also brought the unveiling of this stunning mural. The painting found a permanent home in the college cafeteria with a little help from Yermo Aranda’s family. Imagine how lively and exciting it would have been when the bright piece lit up the room and made it the coolest place to hang out on campus.
Meet Yermo Aranda, the master of art.
Today we’re going to talk about Yermo Aranda, the creative genius. The man was born in San Diego into a family of musicians, painters, and craftsmen. Now that’s an interesting family tree! In addition to Cabrillo College, Yermo studied art at other schools and earned a B.A. at CSU Monterey Bay. Now, with this beautiful mural, he’s leaving his artistic mark on Cabrillo College.
Join us on February 12 for an exciting party!
Keep your hats on, because there’s a big reveal coming up! Our school’s Dean of Visual, Applied, and Performing Arts, John Graulty, told us that the mural will be officially unveiled on February 12. That’s the day when everyone can get together to celebrate and be amazed by the amazing art that has been added to the campus.
In short, art brings people together.
There are more than just colors on this mural; it shows how creative, teamwork-based, and alive Cabrillo College is. It shows what can happen when people in a community work together to make something lovely. If you like art or just bright colors, don’t miss the big reveal—it’s going to be amazing!
