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Fatima Arriola

Professor Batty

English 101

25 February 2017

The Drawing That Changed a Persons Life

Sometimes we say a picture is worth a thousand words rather than saying the actual

words. There are things in life that we look at and they leave us with a whole new perspective of

how we looked at it before. A mural by Paul Botello called A Shared Hope is located in Los

Angeles, and it has a lot of influence on people by its drawing, meaning, and location. Although

so many argue that Paul Botellos art is not inspiring and uncritical, I argue that his art influences

many undocumented people from all the over the world. Some of the most talented artists in the

present day have been inspired from observing at the murals, and this process has motivated

them to become who they are now.

A Shared Hope is a very popular mural that has been in Los Angeles since 1995. To be

more specific, this mural was painted outside an elementary school named Ezperanza right on

its the exterior, facing the playground. In this mural, portraits of 27 students, parents, and

teachers are featured. This mural has magnificent and mysterious colors that are very bright, but

then the shades taper out to gloomy, low hues. I think every color of the mural represents the

different types of moods each person in the portrait is going through as they find a way to find

their destiny. I notice that this mural has two different types of personalities that represents the
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night and day. For all the nights that each person dreams, a new, hopeful outlook arises for them.

With regard to the day aspect of the mural, this segment showcases a new light among the

featured people. The shapes are very abstract because there are some shapes that look like an

illusion. For instance, theres a girl trying to reach the end of a rainbow, which is something one

cant do in real life.

The theme of this mural is education, hope, and immigration. This mural is composed of

immigrants from Central America. The attention of this mural is for people to see what could be

beyond in a persons life after coming from another country as an undocumented immigrant.

Immigrants who come here seeking a better future for themselves and their families often times

experience struggles, but the mural exudes hope. In one panel the teacher is portrayed as a

beacon, leading her students over the building blocks of life. In another, communities and

families are celebrated as the foundation for the future. The way each child is carrying an object

represents what their interests for their futures are. These little children are kids who are

undocumented, but at the same time they fight for what they want. This mural is specifically

located in Los Angeles for all those dreamers to have a chance to look at it and get inspired by

those who are painted in the portrait. Where people get to be role models for others who are

drowning into their own failures just like Paul Botello whos a big role model to everyone who

want their art to be successful.

The man whos behind the art of such an incredibly well telling mural, hasnt had quite

luck in life to get where he is now. Paul Botello was born and raised in East Los Angeles. His
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brother is East Los Street scraper co-founder, David Botello. His involvement with art began at

the age of 8, helping his brother work on murals. In 1994 he traveled to Berlin, Germany, where

he collaborated on a giant mural titled Global Chessboard. Botello often brings his distinctive

personal style of energy, color and composition to focus on social issues. He went on to earn his

BA and MFA at UC Los Angeles. In 1997, he was a visiting professor at Pitzer College in

Claremont. According to Latina/o Art Community article talks about Botello obstacle to

becoming an artist. It talks about how he got bullied when he was a little kid, which made it very

hard for him to concentrate on his painting. The thing that motivated him the most was his

community, he has always focused on symbolic narratives that examines both public and

personal themes. Botello has said his methods in his works strives for a balance between

boldness, rawness and refinement to express the unfairness of life. Botello lives and works in

East Los Angeles, and exhibits his work in Los Angeles and abroad. As time, has gone by, his

work has become more famous thanks to all the people who admire his sense of art.

We have gone from the past to the future and its incredible how a simple drawing

hasnt changed. The point of a mural might fade away, but the meaning of it cant. The meaning

of a mural is so unique that it will stay permanently in your head just like a melody of a song that

you might know just by listening one time. The purpose of Paul Botello mural A Shared

Hope ways to inspire people who feel like they worthless in life. Sometimes we dont like to

listen to people advices they give us, so we go further and look at the weirdest things ever like a

painting. A painting can tell us million things without talking. Thats why we say a picture is

worth a thousand words.

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Sources

1. "Chicana/o Art Book." Chicana/o Art Book. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

<http://latinoartcommunity.org/community/ChicArt/ArtistDir/PauBot.html>.
2. A Shared Hope (Esperanza Compartida), Los Angeles, 1995 A Shared Hope (Esperanza
Compartida), Los Angeles, 1995 :: Robin Dunitz Slides of Los Angeles Murals, 1925-2002."A
Shared Hope (Esperanza Compartida), Los Angeles, 1995 A Shared Hope (Esperanza
Compartida), Los Angeles, 1995 :: Robin Dunitz Slides of Los Angeles Murals, 1925-2002.
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2017.
<http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll15/id/234>.

3. 8Diaz, Katacha. "Talking Walls." PearsonSuccessnet. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2017.
<http://www.bing.com/cr?
IG=EC7255E917484E6B892AB329D88370D5&CID=3F7D09E4F18C6BC312EA03C9F0BD
6A41&rd=1&h=c_KzyV5Sg4OgJsOIkHc69K6xLvjtpMLjQ6uoU5Eus9I&v=1&r=http%3a%2f
%2fwww.pearsonsuccessnet.com%2ftemp-images%2fscorm%2frdg10%2fna%2fen%2f0-
328-73641-4%2fA40126%2fpdf%2fRSEN11_G3U6W3_ms.pdf&p=DevEx,5119.1>.
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Appendix

A Shared Hope by Paul Botello