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Carson City Visitors Center and Rotary Club dedicate new mural

“It didn’t stay one image. It changed as it went,” Abner Rivera, mural artist, told the Appeal. He started with the block letters, then added in the Nevada state background, and went from there. He even woke up early Friday morning, prior to the dedication, to touch it up.

“It didn’t stay one image. It changed as it went,” Abner Rivera, mural artist, told the Appeal. He started with the block letters, then added in the Nevada state background, and went from there. He even woke up early Friday morning, prior to the dedication, to touch it up.
Faith Evans

By Faith Evans

Friday, July 16, 2021

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A vision in blue, with Northern Nevada symbols framed by block letters, the new mural on the north side of the Visitors Center not only welcomes guests downtown but represents a little slice of capital city history and culture.

Mayor Lori Bagwell called it a “great day for the arts in Carson City” on Friday morning, when local leaders, the Rotary Club, the Arts and Cultural Commission, and the Visitors Center gathered at the corner of Washington and Carson streets to dedicate artist Abner Rivera’s work to the city.

Mayor Lori Bagwell and artist Abner Rivera address the dedication audience. Bagwell joked that everyone needed to choose their favorite element from the mural. “I think that’s what art is all about. It needs to speak to you,” she said.

 

Rivera told the Appeal that he spent somewhere between 150 and 200 hours on the mural. It’s 10 feet high, 16 feet across, and cost $6,000.

He said to the audience at the dedication, “This is my city. I’m proud of it.”

And that pride shows. The Cultural Commission is looking forward to working with Rivera in the future to create more art throughout the city.

Perhaps the most exciting part? Wherever Rivera works, he leaves behind hidden messages. This particular piece includes the names of his children, and "love."

But if you want to know where to find those covert words, you’ll have to visit the mural and search for yourself. Rivera prefers to keep that a mystery.


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