The "Trillium" Mural: Painting the Vesper Meadow Vision
The old cow barn at Vesper Meadow reflects a new message of restoration, biodiversity, and Indigeneity…
June 2021, artist Gabriel Barrera completed a mural on the barn at Vesper Meadow. This work was supported by Signal Fire’s Tinderbox Program and as part of the Art Beyond outdoor art festival this summer, organized by Schneider Art Museum.. This partnership exists at the intersection of multiple artist communities, regional social justice initiatives, and decolonized environmental stewardship showcasing the capacity of interdisciplinary coalition building across the Rogue Valley.
Artist’s Statement
by Gabriel Barrera
The purpose of “Trillium” is to tell a story of healing and restoration of a once peaceful and respected place. This meadow has experienced a history of violence towards Indigenous peoples, colonial exploitation through logging and cattle ranching is now undergoing a restoration, led by Jeanine Moy. This mural creation coincides with my own journey of healing and revisiting my artistic practice with social justice. I have discovered my own relation with the restoration process of self through bettering my connection with the land, animals and people.
“Trillium” reflects the restoration efforts of the Vesper Meadow by depicting native flower species, animals, and people. The various images of animals and plants reflect the diverse ecosystem that exists in the meadow. The dark morph Rough-legged hawk is depicted flying over the meadow. The migrating Oregon Vesper Sparrow, the large cutout, is removable in order to signal to passersby that the sparrow has migrated for the season. The flowers and plants in the mural include trillium, camas lily, klamath fawn lily, yellow buttercup, bistort, white yarrow, and yampah.
The woman in the mural is my friend, Amber Ball. Amber is Dakubetede, Shasta, Modoc, Klamath and a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. Vesper Meadow is one little piece of Amber’s ancestral land. I wanted to incorporate Amber into the mural as a tribute to her and to honor the connection she has to her ancestral land. The trillium in the landscape mirrors the trillium tattoo on Amber’s arm.
This barn mural was created by Gabriel Barrera (ScenicG.com) with assistance from Tori Bennett, Haley Nichols and Olivia Blesse, during an artist-in-residency program at Vesper Meadow, sponsored by a collaboration between Signal Fire, Vesper Meadow and “Art Beyond” Schneider Museum of Art.
Many thanks to Jeanine Moy, Ka’ila Farrell-Smith, Cory and Greg Ross, Scott Malbaurn, Bill Tiesi, Merilee Ford Barrera, Oregon Arts Commission, The Ford Family Foundation, and all the volunteers who have helped restoration efforts at Vesper Meadow.
Artist Bio
Originally from Southern California, Gabriel Barrera is a Mexican American/Xicanx visual artist living in Southern Oregon. He works in various mediums including traditional art methods, multimedia and graphics. His artwork is rooted in social justice, advocacy, and youth mentorship. Gabriel received a BFA from Pratt Institute and has worked for over 20 years as a scenic artist in theaters such as South Coast Repertory, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and numerous colleges. He currently operates ScenicG, a visual art and design company providing services in art/design, workshops, consultation, facilitation and mentorship.