‘I wanted to cover them all in one paint.’ Fresno artist finishes George Floyd mural
Fresno muralist Omar “Super” Huerta has done 25-plus murals in the city.
His latest murals of George Floyd, Gabriel Fernandez and an ode to nurses caring for COVID-19 patients have touched him in many ways.
“I wanted to share more than what’s going on,” he said. “The combination of COVID-19, Gabriel Fernandez and Black Lives Matter movement ... I wanted to cover them all in one paint. I feel it’s on everyone’s main point right now.”
Working on short notice didn’t faze Huerta to get the mural done in time for the candlelight vigil Tuesday night behind La Maison Kabob at 1243 Fulton St. in downtown Fresno
The mural is part of the “Lift Every Voice Mural Tour” in Fresno.
Floyd died in May while handcuffed and pleading that he could not breathe as a Minneapolis officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck.
Fernandez, an 8-year-old from Palmdale, was killed in May 2013 when his mom and her boyfriend tortured and abused him, prosecutors said in court.
The nurse, meanwhile, represents those in the profession who’ve dealt with the deadly virus. Through Tuesday, there had been 116,000 deaths in the United States related to COVID-19.
All that was on Huerta’s mind as he finished the mural in two days. He started it on Monday afternoon.
“I need to make this happen,” he said. “I took it as I needed to go out and do this. I painted until 5 or 6 in the morning to make it happen on short notice because I only had two days to have it done. I pulled it off by being out here and taking full responsibility and do it for my people.”
Art tribute Thursday
The Fresno City Council plans to proclaim Thursday “Black Lives Matter Day,” city spokesman Mark Standriff said. Immediately following the proclamation (after 9 a.m.), there will be an event on P Street in front of City Hall between Tulare and Fresno streets. DJ Kay Rich will lead the community project to paint “Black Lives Matter” on the street, and residents are encouraged to come and express their own unique feelings on systemic racial injustice and support for our Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement in the area around the street painting.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 11:14 PM.
