The organizing image for this mural is a film reel unfurling across the North face of the building. People traveling up Coal Avenue will view the mural from West to East, in the direction of vehicle traffic. This image allows the artist to portray scenes, important to the life of the community, and to allude to the area’s economic transition from the steam locomotive to the film industry as evidenced by the emerging use of the Railyards as a go-to location for filmmakers.

The film contains images from the culture and history of the Barelas neighborhood. Beginning on the Western end of the mural with a steam locomotive and then moving through images of people important to the neighborhood, Senator Dennis Chávez; Dr. Aragon, the President of New Mexico Highlands University; Rudolfo Anaya, the author of Bless Me Ultimá, to Maclovia Sanchez de Zamora, an herbalist and healer, who worked at the B. Ruppe Drugstore for over 30 years. It then transitions to scenes from traditional community pageants such as the Dance of the Matachines and La Posada, and ends with a visual reference to the windows at the Railyards. As mentioned earlier, we will be seeking input from the residents of the Barelas community as to which images should tell their story.

In the background will be a stylized and impressionistic portrayal of the Rio Grande and the Sandia Mountains as well as a low-rider parked on the banks of the river, representing the car culture associated with life along Route 66.