Photography by Lanny Nguyen and Ian Lundie
Roan Victor
Mural Location: Woz Way, behind the Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose
“When I visited the wall and saw how long it is, I playfully thought, it’d be cool to paint a really long appendage, like an arm. But this idea took a backseat. I wanted to go into the community engagement with a clear and open mind so that I can absorb and process all the feedback. Hearing discussions about the river and the life that flows in and around it made me think back on my little idea. Our connection as humans to nature and earth is a central theme in a lot of my work, and this particular topic of discussion really spoke to me. The imagery of a river turning into an arm, vice versa, in my proposal essentially represents the river flowing to give life. Historically, I believe the river became a source of food and livelihood to the natives of the land; humans, wildlife and vegetation. And as we approach a changing climate, the river adapts and life keeps flowing. My intent is to provide a message of hope and a feeling of peace and tranquility by being surrounded by the beauty of nature.” - Roan Victor
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Here are names of the plants and animals in the mural (left to right)
Western Tiger Swallowtail (Butterfly), Papilio rutulus
- often found near riparian corridors as that is where all their larval plants grow
Western Columbine, Aquilegia formosa
-many times this species grows in the creeks with water surrounding it or on a north slope in rocky seeps.
Mallards (Ducks), Anas platyrhynchos
-most likely found on shallow bodies of fresh water, on lakes, marshes and even flooded fields.
Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
-a medium-sized bird of prey known as a raptor. They have long, broad wings and short, wide tails with reddish brown color. Juveniles lack the red tail. These hawks are often seen perched near roadsides or soaring over open fields.
Pacific Coast Iris (purple petals), Iris munzii
-flowers are pale blue to lavender to purple. A rhizomorphic perennial that grows a foot or two high with 3 inch. This one likes a lot of water with good drainage. It will form iris clumps limited by water.
California Scrub Jay (blue birds), Aphelocoma californica
-look for them near oaks: in oak scrub, oak woodlands, and the oak savannah of California’s Central Valley. They also live in the dense, shrub-choked chaparral and coastal sage that lines coastal hillsides, as well as in mangrove forests at the tip of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. Although this species is best known for eating acorns, in a few areas of the western Mojave desert they live in pinyon pine woodlands.
Coast Live Oak (acorns in hand), Quercus agrifolia
-an extremely important tree to the California Native Americans. The acorns produced by the oak were a primary food source of many native groups, including the Ohlone, Kameyaay, and Cahuilla people.
California Fuschia (red flowers), Zauschneria/Epilobium canum var. latifolium 'Everett's Choice'
-found in slightly damper slopes and flats, often near seasonal creeks, often as part of pine or fir forest.
Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna
-males have a shocking magenta head, which appears dark when not catching the light. Found in fairly open areas, including woodlands, desert scrub, and chaparral. The only hummingbird that regularly winters in northern California, Oregon, and Washington.