Story of the Mural

The Making of the Mural

When the Benicia-Tula Sister Cities (BTSC) delegation traveled to Tula in 2018, the Mayor of Tula surprised the delegation with the unveiling of a beautiful monument in the Tula Town Center honoring the 40-year relationship between the sister cities of Benicia, California, USA and Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico.

The Benicia delegation was deeply moved by this profound gesture, and when they returned to Benicia they were determined to respond in kind. The initial goal was to create a similar standing monument but after reviewing plans with the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission, it was determined that a mural would be the most effective way to create a landmark piece of art that acknowledged the diversity of each city, while showing the bonds of friendship between them.

The mural entitled "Building a Bridge of Culture" celebrates the community, camaraderie, and connection between the sister cities of Benicia and Tula since 1979.

The mural design was created through collaboration by the Benicia members. It took 6 months of discussion and planning as the vision for the mural came together.

Everyone brought their ideas and played a role in contributing to the design.

Carla Gallagher Schaefer and Elizabeth Patterson requested the mural have the two flags of USA and Mexico.
Gloria Lopez, Elena Munoz, Joanna Craig, Betsy Radke and Amanda Radke selected the Talavera tiles to frame the mural.
Steve Young suggested a bridge go across the mural.
Mary Frances Kelly Poh suggested people crossing on the bridge as well as provided the historic words for the mural.
Mike Daniels went to the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission to share plans and secure approval.
Pepe Arteaga was responsible for creating the engineering plans for the tile craftsman in Mexico.
Dan Schaefer was responsible for reviewing the engineering plans.
Sam Seaman kept records of expenses and accounts receivable in accordance with laws for the non--profit organization.
Maria Bitagon wrote 16 letters to sponsors requesting funding for the mural project.

Each element was selected to convey the spirit of lasting friendship and joy, and to visually establish a heartfelt connection shared between the Benicia and Tula Sister Cities members.

Terry Scott and Laura O'Reilly were the artists commissioned to bring these concepts to life. These amazing artists were able to incorporate all the elements suggested by the Benicia members into a cohesive and visually stunning mural.

Once the artists' design of the mural received final approval from the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission, the mural rendering and grid plan for the tiles were given to the Saltillo Tile Company, owned by Margot Rojo Zavala in San Felipe, BC, for production.

A local San Filipe artisan, hand painted the image onto the tiles. The tiles were then kiln fired and glazed. The Saltillo Tile Company was responsible for arranging the painting and glazing of each tile to produce the "Building a Bridge of Culture" mural.

The completed tiles were carefully delivered by car from San Felipe to Benicia. When the Benicia members were able to view it assembled for the first time, they were elated. The mural was vibrant, and the craftsmanship for the mural was excellent.

This grand piece of art is currently showcased on the southern exterior wall of the Benicia Library. The mural is 7 feet high and 8 feet wide. The completed mural is made with 766 Talavera style handmade tiles. Each individual tile is 4 inches by 4 inches in size.

The special installation process of putting the mural on the exterior library was carried out by the Grand Jaguar Tile company owned by Carlos Valdez Sandoval of Sacramento.

This beautiful work of art is truly a work of love. It was made possible by the hard work and goodwill of all the sponsors, donors, artists and BTSC members who were dedicated to bringing this vision to reality. This mural depicts the cherished relationship between Benicia and Tula for over 45 years. The Benicia members express great gratitude to the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission for their support and approval of the creation and installation of the "Building a Bridge of Cultures" mural. Dedicated July 3, 2019.

BTW - There is one tile in the mural that is placed upside down - are you curious enough to find it?

Hint - It is easier to find it if you view it in person!