Contributing Author
The Jams (Jessica Carmen and Augie WK), CWC Artists-in-Residence
Rivers are both nurturing and powerful, and these traits are also embodied by the Aztec goddess gracing a beautiful new community mural at the Nueva Vista Community Resources Center in Santa Cruz! Chalchiuhtlicue, whom we affectionately call Chalchi, is the Aztec deity of rivers, streams and seas. She is the central figure of this new mural designed by The Jams as part of our Artist Residency with the Coastal Watershed Council supported by the Central Coast Creative Corps. With this piece, we hope to remind folks about the beauty of nature, the life that the river brings, the tranquility we can feel surrounded by it, and the “quiet might” of the San Lorenzo River.
When it came to designing the “Chalchiuhtlicue” mural for the Nueva Vista Community Resources office at 711 East Cliff Drive, we collected ingredients from a lot of different sources. Through discussions both old and new, we learned that the Beach Flats community has a connection and love for the Aztec god Tlāloc, who is depicted in the storm drain mural at Beach Flats Park. With that in mind, we conducted research (a key step in a lot of our work) and found Chalchiuhtlicue, who is the goddess of running water, like rivers. She is also considered to be the wife or sister of Tlaloc, depending on the mythology. We thought she would be the perfect subject to help bring about conversation and connection to the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz’s own sacred stream.
We encourage folks to look up “Chalchiuhtlicue” and observe other artist depictions of this mighty deity. They are often crude hieroglyphs, far from human-looking, and not very “approachable.” Chalchi, after all, is a legend, passed down through generations, so different artists at different times have created their own unique renderings. In our respectful interpretation of the goddess, we wanted to show a deity that looks like someone we all know. She’s calm, nurturing, and undeniably powerful, commanding a river of water flowing from her hair which is inhabited by some of San Lorenzo’s most famous fish – the steelhead trout.
Chalchiuhtlicue’s name translates to “she of the jade skirt,” so of course we had to depict one as well as a headdress which she is also known for wearing. We added a septum ring to honor the codex drawings and match the gold headdress, and added feathers to resemble a “penacho,” recognizable as a regal Aztec headdress. Chalchi stands calmly and powerfully as she shelters the child in her arms from any harm. She is also associated with childbirth, making her a welcome figure for the Nueva Vista office that offers support for mothers and families.
We then added the element of the moon to the mural, which not only offers a light source and a focal point for all the background colors, but also highlights the relationship between this celestial marvel and the tides splashing towards our feet on the ground. Chalchi ties the two together as a fantastical figure we can look to in times of worry, and a fierce protector reminiscent of the protective, maternal figures in all our own lives.
While The Jams focused on painting the figure of Chalchi and the young boy, the colorful background in Augie WK’s signature stained-glass style created a perfect “paint-by-numbers” template for community members to participate in creating this mural. On April 27 and 28, 2024, 26 community members, including residents of the Lower Ocean and Beach Flats neighborhoods, joined us in painting this beautiful artwork. By creating a piece of this mural, we hope they each feel a deeper connection to the art itself as well as to the San Lorenzo River. Our final touch was adding a text box in English and Spanish to describe the artwork, alongside a list of all our artist assistants, in the style of classic Chicano muralismo.
Flooding can be a scary topic for people living alongside a river, and we wanted Chalchi to serve as a calming, protective symbol in the midst of this reality. She also embodies the life-giving source that floodwaters provide for the San Lorenzo River’s plants and animals, and the river as the source of Santa Cruz’s drinking water. Preparing for future floods can help community members live in harmony with the San Lorenzo River, and we hope this mural can be part of continued conversations about community resilience.
The Jams’ artist residency is supported by a grant from the Central Coast Creative Corps, a project of the Arts Councils of Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and San Benito Counties, as well as the Santa Barbara Office of Arts and Culture, which is funded by the California Arts Council.