Illustrating Barstow past to enhance it’s future





2010    2009    2008    2007

2011 youth program "Discovering the Mojave Desert"


field trip to zzyzzx




















kelso dunes - weed pulling conservation project and dune surfing





art projects - building an exhibition display





El Mirage field trip - desert clean up and land sailing



















Crazy Cactus - painting crazy cactus sculptures










Mural painting and program awards event











2011    2009    2008    2007

Mining The Mojave 2010


The 5 month program kicked off with a walk back in time with Steve Smith and the Main St Murals team.



Kathy Fierro shows her mural work in progress.

Library orientation and project research with Tawni Walls at Barstow Public Library


"An Introduction to Geology"  with Rosa Yriarte


Kids made their own earth crust and .... it tasted good!


Archaeology & Geology workshop with BLM specialists Jim Shearer and Jamie Livingood at the Mojave Rover Valley Museum.


Tour of Calico Silver Mining Town


The Old School House

Jane Laraman-Brockhurst led the film team

Touring the mining area by train
Maggie Mine

Search and Rescue team lead a class in Desert Survival and safety in mines

Fossil hunting with Bob Hilburn


Kids made plaster cast models of trilobites

Kids turn out their plaster cast models


Filming the class

Art session to prepare the project display



Painting the mural

Master muralist Kathy Fierro painting with the kids


Group photo with finished mural.  Job well done!

Group enjoy a celebratory dinner and receive awards

President Jane Laraman-Brockhurst presents Main St Murals founder Juliette Tison with Medal of achievement

2011    2010    2008    2007

ICE AGE Program 2009

"UNEARTHING THE WONDERS OF THE MOJAVE DESERT ICE AGE"
Gallery of events and activities

Program sponsored By:


Jane Brockhurst with students at library orientation to find research books

David Lamfrom of the NPCA presents a workshop on the Mega Fauna of the Mojave Desert ICE AGE

Jim Shearer, Archaeologist with the BLM inspires the kids with his stories and shares his passion for his job, at a  workshop held at Barstow public library.

Bob Hilburn shows students some animal prints from the Pleistocene (ICE AGE) period at the Desert Discovery Center.

David Brockhurst gets to work making the framework for the Diorama with assistance from Sydney the cat. Once the frame is finished students will work on creating the landscape and will then make clay models of ICE AGE animals. The whole project will be worked on over a number of months and the finished Diorama will be put on display at the  Desert Discovery Center for visitors and schools to enjoy.

Paleontology class. Students make plaster castings of Triobites, later they will paint the moulds and add them to the exhibition at the Desert Discovery Center.


Enroute to Death Valley the group stopped off at Shoshone and were treated to a guided tour of the museum and Shoshone ICE AGE ZOO as they walked in the footsteps of ICE AGE MEGA FAUNA including Mammoth, camel and horse.

India spots Mega Fauna Footprints

The group arrives at Furnace Creek, Death Valley and set up camp

David lamfrom with Death Valley Rangers who led the group on a magical night hike

Bad Water Discovery Tour

Observing the ICE AGE water line with Death Valley Ranger

Exploring Salt Creek with Ranger Holly

The group heads back to the bus for the homeward journey

    Picture of the "ICE AGE" educational program whilst on a visit to LA BREA TAR PITS Los Angeles in March. The group were treated to guided tours of the outside excavation pits and also the museum and laboratory where the  group saw paleontologist working on the most recent finds at the sight. The Barstow group is currently working on an exhibition and  Diorama of the Mojave Desert ICE AGE and this month will  be learning how to sculpt clay to make models of MEGA FAUNA and are also fine tuning their ICE AGE poems and  a large mammoth puppet for the end of project presentation on Sat 30th May at the Desert Discovery Center.

    For further information regarding the Main St Murals and Discovery Trails Programs including, Youth Projects,  Walking Mural Tours and becoming a member/ registering, please contact Jane Laraman-Brockhurst @
760 257 1052.

   
 



2011    2010    2009    2007

NATIVE AMERICAN Program 2008

The Educational programs are devised and led by Jane and David Brockhurst of OFF LIMITS DESIGN Inc, for and on behalf of Main St Murals and Discovery Trails.











EDUCATIONAL ART PROJECT 2008 WORKSHOP & PROGRAM OUTLINE



Following the success of the 2007 OLD SPANISH TRAIL educational art program, Main Street Murals have partnered with Discovery Trails to head a unique 2008 arts program entitled “Native American Voices of the Mojave Desert”.

This is a hands on multi curricular after school program involving elementary students from 7 schools in the Barstow area. Students will be led on a Journey of Discovery involving a diverse program that satisfies curriculum standards in Language Arts, Mathematics, History social science, science, visual and performing arts,

Additionally, a smaller group of 8-10 students pursuing an art’s major will be selected from the local high schools. This senior group will be encouraged to develop their design and composition skills with David Brockhurst the Master Mural artist. They will also take on mentoring roles with the younger students to learn administrative and organizational skills.

The educational program will run for a 5-month season and involve a series of presentations, fieldtrips and workshops. These activities are designed for the students to research several tribes of the region, their natural habitat and uses of their surrounding plant and animal life as a means of shelter, nutrition and natural remedy. Social structure, rituals and ceremonies within tribes will be explored as well as how tribal life adapted and changed through the development of the Americas.

Students will hear Native American stories from tribal families describing history and customs, which have been passed down in oral form through generations. Students will lead interviews with each “Story teller” which will be recorded on video and in written form and used as part of the project exhibition for public display at the Desert Discovery Center, a local environmental education and visitor center.

They will participate in authorized field trips to public lands where the remains of Indian camps can be seen and other sites showing petroglyphs and pictographs. Being there in person allows the students a visual interpretation of Native American history and challenges. The students will keep a journal detailing their discoveries and use all the information they collate throughout the project to create interpretative drawings which will be used as the basis of the final mural projects which will be displayed at two separate sites: 1.The Discovery Center on Barstow Road and 2. The Odyssey Building as an addition to the Historic Walking Gallery of Murals along Barstow’s Main Street, Route 66.

PUBLIC SEASON OF PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS AND OPEN FORUM DISCUSSIONS BASED ON THE NATIVE INDIANS OF THE MOJAVE DESERT REGION
In addition to the educational program, the Desert Discovery Center and Mojave River Valley Museum will host a season of Native American history for the public in the form of evening presentations. Subjects will include: Discovering the Vanyumes (We’re Not Extinct), native plants and their medicinal uses, “Trails across the desert,” Native American slaves, Early Man Site, Newberry Caves and the Newberry period.

NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL
An Indian cultural festival will be held in conjunction with the dedication of the mural project in which tribes will be invited to share their cultural arts, give exhibition dance and music presentations and show honor to their ancestors through story telling.

This project is important to the City of Barstow and its surrounding communities because it offers a whole season of learning, presentations and creative development to EDUCATE, ILLUSTRATE AND CELEBRATE the history and culture of the Native American from the Mojave Desert providing a permanent display to raise historic awareness and the significance of preserving the past for the future. All enquiries to Jane Laraman-Brockhurst, Artistic Coordinator Tel: 760 257 1052



www.californiastories.org

"This project is made possible, in part, by a grant from the California Council for the Humanities as part of the Council’s statewide California Stories Initiative"

 




2011    2010    2009    2008

The Old Spanish Trail Project 2007

Main Street Murals
Educational Art /History Mural Program



   Saturday 28th April was a beautiful day in Barstow and community artists and enthusiasts were about with paint brushes in hand ready to make an early start to the 4th annual Community Mural Project.  At 8am the pre-prepped mural wall situated at 111 East Main Street between 1st and 2nd Ave on Main Street, already looked impressive, as Master Artist David Brockhurst had marked in the background of this 32 foot mural in preparation for the community muralists.

   2007 saw the development of the Mural in a Day project into a full-blown community project as Main Street Murals introduced an educational program based on THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL involving students from Barstow Unified School District GATE program. The educational project began in January and Saturday’s event saw the final completion and hanging of the students’ work, which consisted of four mural images depicting key aspects of the trail.







   This years mural inspired a varied turn out of participants and spectators with over sixty people participating in the mural paint throughout the day. 

   Interested passers by were drawn in by the additional entertainment and music which was scheduled throughout the day and included Native Indian Mike Martinez and his family who shared their culture and invited the crowd to join them in a friendship dance, Steve Smith led historic tours of Down Town Barstow and murals, Sheriff Ricochet enticed the crowed with his gold panning tent whilst Clifford walker gave demonstrations of Dutch oven cooking with samples of Mexican Trader fare including his own recipe of Atole and the BLM headed a stand displaying forthcoming recycling and Summer workshops. Presentations on the Old Spanish Trail were given by Clifford Walker and Brad Mastin of the BLM.  Ira Gwin and his Old Style Music Quartet added further harmony to the event and were followed with musical extracts from the Old Spanish Trail Suite. Mani Lopez of the Hispanic Chamber and KDUC gave amplification to the event and Nancy Summers of Main Street Murals took Polaroid’s of artists and spectators in front of the mural accompanied by a full sized sculpture of a mule created by GATE program students.

   Mayor Dale dropped by to show his support and say hello to the artists and chat with the GATE program students, as did members of the public and avid mural supporters who were keen to join the activities and chat with the artists and organizers.

   Artists stopped work as a procession of vintage Model T Fords passed by honking horns in joyous support and waving to the crowd, creating a scene reminiscent of Main Street Murals 1st Mural illustrating National Trail Highway as it became Route 66.

   All the activities were captured by Michael Murrey of Barstow Community college who videoed footage of the days event.

   The heat of the early morning took it’s toll on some artists who were grateful for shaded areas in which to rest and cool down with plenty of water and after the mornings busy activities the parents of the GATE program students served up a well earned pizza lunch for the children and artists and showed great support throughout the day.  Go parent’s!


   At 1.00pm certificates were handed to the GATE students in honor of their hard work and achievement over the four month project and final mural painting.  Students were sad that the project had come to a close and hoped to sign up for future Main Street Mural programs.

   The day came to a close at around 5.30pm as the group of hard core enthusiasts reviewed the mural and planned a work schedule to complete the piece in readiness for the Old Spanish Trail Association Conference in June.

   Barstow clearly has a lively and developing artistic community displayed by the generous support of individuals and businesses in the area that have given their time effort and money to this worthwhile voluntary organization.



   Main Street Murals would like to publicly acknowledge and thank all the sponsors, donors and artists who have supported Mural in a Day and made this event possible:

Sponsors / Patrons

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Valley Ace Lumber
Barstow Flower & Bridal
Soroptimist

              Donors of Supplies and services

The City of Barstow
Valley Ace Lumber
Vons
Stater Brothers
BNSF
Off Limits design
Wal-Mart
Bill & Jill Cook
Reynolds Ohai
MEEC
BLM
Barstow Public Library
Mojave River Valley Museum
Desert Discovery Center
Rose Beardshear
Clifford Walker
Brad Mastin
Mike Martinez and family
David Romero
Jesse Byrd
Ira Gwin and his Old Style Music Trio
Candice Michelson – teacher at Henderson school and GATE program co-coordinator
Parents of Barstow Gate program students for their support and enthusiasm.

Goody Bag & Raffle Donors

Barstow Flower & Bridal
Tanger Outlets
KDUCK 94.3FM
VnJ Professional Outfitter
Foster Freeze
Sparkle Car Wash
Calico wood shop
Union Bank of California
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Mojave River Valley Museum
Del Taco
US ARMY

Media

Desert Dispatch
Desert West Media
KDUCK 94.3FM
The Highway Stations 98&99FM
Air America 12.30AM
Barstow Chamber of Commerce
Michael Murrey

Next time you are driving through down town Main Street look out for the growing number of murals that are brightening your city.

Click here for photo images of the Old Spanish Trail mural event




Field Trip to find traces of The Old Spanish Trail

Main Street Murals

Educational Art /History Mural Program

Saturday 10th March 2007.

   The sky was blue and the sun was shining as an expectant crowd gathered in the car park of Barstow public library for the next exciting episode in the Old Spanish Trail Educational Mural program.

   The pupils lined up outside the bus, their satchels loaded with sketchpads and journals and provisions for the day ahead.  As names were called out, the 4th and 5th graders that form the group,(all from the Barstow school district GATE program), jumped on board to claim their seats. For this was the eagerly awaited field trip to find Traces of the Old Spanish Trail that passed through the Barstow area back in the trails hay day of 1829 – 1848.

   The session was led by Clifford Walker, Director of the California chapter of The Old Spanish Trail Association.   As an Historian, writer and lecturer, Clifford has a wealth of knowledge on the fascinating history of the desert and imparts his insight into the areas fascinating history with enthusiasm and humor.

   With everyone aboard, the bus headed off in a North Easterly direction toward the Mojave Riverbed in Newberry Springs, off Minneola Road.


(Clifford Walker and the students on the Riverbank of the Mojave River)

   On arrival at the first location the pupils were guided to a vantage spot to scan the vista.  Sat on the now sand driven banks of the Mojave Rive, Clifford painted a picture of a landscape that was in stark difference to the scene before them.

   Back in the 1800’s, the Mojave River ran deep and wide, and was lined with vegetation; cottonwood and Mesquite trees grew along the banks and lush grass and meadows thrived from the ample supply of nourishment from the river.

   The Mojave River was a significant watering hole for the traders traveling the Old Spanish Trail, and was a welcome paradise in comparison to the harsh arid desert land that had been endured on the trail between Nevada and California.

   Today, the riverbed is dry and the water flows underground, although signs of the once water rich land can still be seen in the dark tree skeletons that stand out along the sand banks like pieces of sculpture representing ghosts of distant times.

     Small groups of Indians (of Piute origin), once settled in Barstow and the surrounding area. Native Indians were instrumental in establishing the trail as they helped guide the Mexican and American trail finders along direct and safe trails that they themselves had already found.

   The native Indians were an unknown quantity to the new explorers and communication was not always easy to establish.  In some cases hostility was found, however, in many areas the Indians and explorers made a common kinship and traded goods, foods and directions in a peaceful manner.

   The trafficking of slaves was also offered up and these traded Indian slaves were taken to the missions where they were put to work.

     With the scene set of times past and the reality of the changed scenery in front of them, the pupils set to work drawing the Mojave riverbank creating differing interpretations of the river, some lush with vegetation and a flowing river of the past and others showing the sandy banks and calico mountains beyond of today.

   Cliffords dogs, Coco and Teddy held an inquisitive eye on the creative proceedings, musing over the artists work in between hunting for Jack rabbits.

     With artwork finished the group packed up and headed back to the bus and headed for the next location along Highway 91.

   The next site was chosen to show the pupils a directional view of the trail as it would have headed south from Bitter Springs, Through Spanish Canyon north of the I15 and then down toward the Mojave River and through BARSTOW. 

   The mountain range is spectacular and the colors range from tangerine, white, purple, brown and black.

(The group looks northward to the route direction of the Old Spanish Trail)

   The group were told of the importance of this communication corridor and how it has developed with Indian trail, mule trail, the wagon road of the Mormons and 49ers, graded road of Old Arrowhead Highway, paved road of Highway 91, I15 Union Pacific Railroad, the power towers and then of course the airplane route above.

   Sketchpads and pencils came out as the children captured the shape and tone of the mountain ranges and the desert plant life including commonly known Mormon Tea and creosote bushes, all of which will be included in the final mural painting.

   The group then headed back on the bus east on highway 91 to Harvard Road and then down toward Lake Delores, where Clifford had chosen a site to feast both minds and stomachs.

   Here, the group saw a Native American chalcedony tool-making quarry where for a couple of thousand years Indians quarried rocks for points, knives, drills and scrappers. The students learn’t about flintknapping (breaking rocks to start the tool process) and were encouraged to look at the differing rocks around them, from weather blasted smooth stones to craggy cratered rocks and chipped flints.

     Meanwhile a small stone fire had been set by Domingo Gonzales and a Dutch oven heated.  Once the group had finished scanning the area for interesting rocks and plant life, the camp lunch was ready to serve.

(Clifford explains the cooking method of a Dutch oven used by the Mexican caravans)

   The students crowded round the fire and Clifford explained the kinds of foods prepared by the New Mexican caravan on the trail and were then invited to sample a feast of Beans, beef jerky, pork skins, and to drink, there was Atole (cornmeal based drink) and Pinole (roasted cornmeal & seed drink).

   The food was sampled first tentatively then greedily finished and the Dutch oven was spooned dry, much to the dismay of Clifford’s doggy chums who were also tempted by the delicious smells.

   Once pots and pans had been packed away and the area scanned to ensure no litter had been left, the group headed back to Barstow to the Public Library.

   It was 1pm, but the day was not over and the students headed inside the library to continue the session.

   Once seated in teams the students worked together on worksheets prepared by the Main Street Mural team covering the field trip session.  The children then had the opportunity to talk with the whole group about what they had learn’t about The Old Spanish Trail, finding differences and similarities of the times in travel, communication, entertainment and food.

   The group then split into their art teams and worked on their mural designs and posters with David Brockhurst (mural artist), Candice Michealson (school district teacher), Kathy Fierro and Jane Laraman-Brockhurst (Main Street Murals).

   To choose highlights of the day would be an endless exercise as the whole day was a complete hit and a really unique learning experience for everyone.

   Finding local relevance to a National trail out on the field is truly inspiring and a great creative motivator.  The students all came away with stories, drawings and written journals and worksheets as well as stimulated taste buds, which represents learning at its best.

   Main Street Murals would like to thank the Mojave Environmental Education Consortium for sponsoring the field trip, and for showing their support and interest in this new and exciting project.



   We would also like to thank Clifford Walker for giving his time, spreading his enthusiasm and sharing his love of history with the students, who all came away bright eyed and inspired.



   Special thanks to Rose Beardshear from the BLM for her enthusiasm and dedicated support in this project.

   The project continues its journey of discovery to explore The Old Spanish Trail and create the eighth mural of the existing walking gallery of historic public art located in down town Barstow.  On Wednesday 14th the group will be visited by FJ and Nugget a mule and burro, with owners Bill and Jill Cook who will talk about the superior qualities of the California Mule and it’s essential role in The Old Spanish Trail.  Students will also have the opportunity to study their physique and practice life drawing the animals.

   The Mural painting will take place on Saturday 28th April.  The location is 111 East Main Street along Route 66.  This is a community event and we welcome artists and local enthusiasts to join the MAIN STREET MURAL team in completing the 12’ x 32’ painting.

For further information regarding the Educational project, joining the painting team or supporting the group, please contact:
JANE LARAMAN-BROCKHURST
Tel: 760 257 1052.

A note to all enthusiastic trail finders:

   Trips to the Spanish Canyon and inland desert areas are only suitable for 4 wheel drive vehicles and anyone interested in taking a trip to explore parts of the trail are advised to contact the Mojave River Valley museum as they hold regular field trips to explore these hidden treasure of the desert.  As with any trail finding expedition, it is essential to travel with at least two vehicles and always carry plenty of water and a mobile phone.





Old Spanish trail
Schools Art History Program
& Mural Painting

February 2007

   This year Main Street Murals have developed their Mural in a Day event and are leading an educational art history program involving school children from the local community.

   The group consists of children from Barstow's GATE program who are being led on a four month multi curricular project to learn about The Old Spanish Trail.  The students will be spending the months leading up to the event researching the history and geography of the trail, looking into it’s significance as a trading route, building a life size mule and topographical map and reproducing some of the traded articles, then using the information discovered they will create designs of their own which will be used to make the final mural image.

   The students will be guided by a team of experienced teachers and artists headed by Candice Michelson, David Brockhurst, Kathy Fierro and Jane Laraman-Brockhurst, who aim to make this a unique lesson in community history and creative art.  The pupils will also have the opportunity to attend field trips and experience presentations by local specialist historians.

   The mural Painting will take place on SATURDAY 28th APRIL.  The site for the mural painting will be the East wall of 111 East Main Street, on the corner of 1st and Main Street – Route 66.  This new addition will be the eighth mural of the existing walking gallery that decorates down town. (There are a total of 30 murals planned).



   At Saturdays workshop David Brockhurst (the mural designer), showed the children how a mule was packed for the trail and took them through the first two stages of building a life sized animal.  The children will complete the next two stages using paper covering the wire frame and then finally painting the mule sculpture which will be displayed with full pack at the mural painting site.


(David Brockhurst with the children & the mule sculpture frame with packs)

   The group were also joined by Clifford Walker, (Director of the California Chapter of The Old Spanish Trail, historian, writer and lecturer) who talked about the local relevance of the trail and prepared the children for the field trip planned in March which will take the children to local areas where the trail actually passed through to find traces of the trail, look at Indian camps and mining areas.


   The children also spent the day creating designs for their part of the mural and planning posters to advertise the event to the general public.

   Last week the children were interviewed by the Desert Media group, which will be featured on Barstow's local Channel 6 during March. 

   Main Street Murals will be giving a presentation at the Mojave River Valley Museum at their General Meeting 28th March to talk about their current project and plans for further murals to celebrate the heritage to Barstow.  This meeting is open to the general public.