SAN JOSE — This Fall, San José based arts non-profit Local Color partnered with local artists to create four original murals celebrating the holiday season. These works are currently on display at Christmas in the Park, where they can be viewed at the north end of Plaza de Cesar Chavez for the duration of the holiday event.
Artists John Barrick, Alyssarhaye Graciano, Francisco Ramirez and Alyssa Wigant all have roots in San José. Each muralist was excited to be invited to contribute their artistic perspective to such a celebrated local event. This is the first year that Local Color has collaborated with Christmas in the Park, a cultural institution and South Bay holiday staple that’s been running for over 40 years.
With more ground to cover, Local Color and Christmas in the Park are eager to continue to add more spirited holiday-themed murals to the scene. The murals add art to previously blank space, re-imagining the wooden panels that border Plaza de Cesar Chavez as a seasonal public art space.
“Local Color is excited to be a part of this project. We’re very grateful to the Christmas in the Park team for inviting us to be a part of their iconic event and giving us and artists a platform to share their work with thousands of visitors,” says Jessica Punzalan, Creative Services Manager for Local Color. “Whether people celebrate Christmas or not, we hope that Alyssa, Alyssarhaye, Francisco, and John’s paintings provide a warm welcome to everyone.”
Though Local Color empowers and amplifies the work of local creatives through numerous initiatives– including establishing affordable creative workspaces, managing artist-led workshops and offering fiscal sponsorship– the organization is still best known for commissioning public and private art. In 2023, Local Color facilitated the creation of 11 new public murals throughout the South Bay and has been instrumental in the creation of nearly 250 murals since its inception in 2015.
Through these efforts, the organization has widened the public’s access to art and re-defined where art can be experienced, all while focusing on offering working artists paid opportunities in San José and the greater South Bay community.
This new partnership with Christmas in the Park offers greater visibility for Local Color’s work and adds a solid stamp of approval from a cherished local event. “Local Color was recommended by the Office of Cultural Affairs, and I knew immediately it was a good fit,” says Debbie Debutis, Executive Director of Christmas in the Park.
“We had a few conversations about our goals and the reality of large-scale artwork outdoors. When the Local Color team was talking about the needs of the artists, we knew this was the right partner. It’s important to our organization that artists get paid for their work and their supplies!” Asked about the future vision of the partnership, Debutis adds, “Absolutely this program will continue to grow year after year. The only thing stopping us is funding. We hope the community appreciates the artwork, and we can double in size next year.”
“We believe in spaces, places and events where people feel and see themselves and their cultures represented,” says Erin Salazar, Executive Director of Local Color. “Expanding the collection of these lovely giant postcard-shaped designs in the coming years is only going to add to the magic that is San San José’s Holiday Season.”
All four murals will be on display as part of Christmas in the Park until January 2, 2024. The Murals John Barrick’s mural “Noel” is highly nostalgic, calling back to whimsical painted windows that would often pop up in retail storefronts. The holiday hues and humanized snowman speak to the simple joy of the season.
“It’s just cartoony– fun and lively,” says Barrick of his piece. “It’s a throwback to a more vintage style Christmas card.” He adds, “Being able to contribute to Christmas in the Park has been a dream of mine since I was a kid,” noting how he was fascinated with all aspects of the annual set of displays, from the animatronics and sculptures to the paintings and signage.
“It’s amazing that now I can bring my family, and they can see something that I’ve done. It’s mind- blowing.” Alyssarhaye Graciano used her mural, “Magandang Gabi Mga Bituin (Goodnight Stars),” to connect more with one side of her cultural heritage. “I’m actually trying to re-frame my mindset around my Filipino culture,” she says.
“I’m half Filipino, half Mexican, and a big part of my Filipino connection is my food. I really wanted to try digging into something else a little deeper, which is why I decided to paint parols (Filipino holiday lanterns).”
Graciano wasn’t alone in her efforts– she painted this mural alongside her father. “We really had a great time digging into what [the parols] meant, to lean back into hope and make our way through that darkness,” Graciano says. “To contribute an art piece so many years later is really special, because now there’s this new intentionality of bringing me and my family to go visit what’s going on at Christmas in the Park.”
“The Joy of Christmas” by Francisco Ramirez is a reminder of the happiness that Christmas can bring to a child, and the importance of toy drives. Ramirez’s son takes center stage, excitedly playing with a toy. He’s surrounded by images of nostalgic gifts, all brought together with a cozy yellow hue.
“I wanted to paint something that was very joyous,” he explains. “You can see it and it’ll warm your heart, right down to the colors.” He says he wanted to capture the joy of the holiday season in a subliminal way. He also wanted to be sure to share his son’s joy with viewers.
“I wanted people to soak in his joy,” explains Ramirez. “He’s got a wonderful smile, and I wanted to share that with the community.” “I’m pretty rooted here,” concludes Ramirez. “I have a lot of wonderful memories with many family members there. Being a part of (Christmas in the Park), it’s a good feeling” Alyssa Wigant, a lettering artist, muralist, and illustrator in San José, created a colorful piece that unites holiday spirit with a nod to her heritage.
Entitled “Maligayang Pasko,” the mural translates to “Merry Christmas” in Tagalog. The mural is a nod to the vibrance of Philippine Christmas traditions across the Filipino diaspora, featuring various parol (Philippine ornamental lantern) designs and star imagery to celebrate the holiday season.
Wigant views her contribution as an opportunity to help widen the scope of representation seen at Christmas in the Park. By including her Filipino heritage in her piece, she hopes her cultural roots can speak to many attendees. “To represent my people and have something in our language [included] in Christmas in the Park, I’m really excited to see what people think and to see themselves represented.” “It’s so exciting to contribute to Christmas in the Park because I grew up in San José and I’ve been going every year,” she adds. “It just feels full circle.”
