History lives at Our Lady of Guadalupe and its activity center thanks to Andy Valdivia

Keishera Lately, Topeka Capital-Journal
·3 min read
Andy Vadivia's mural in the gymnasium at Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center, 216 N.E. Chandler, is shown by the Topeka artist as he describes the artwork's timeline.
Andy Vadivia's mural in the gymnasium at Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center, 216 N.E. Chandler, is shown by the Topeka artist as he describes the artwork's timeline.

Topeka artist Andy Valdiva has spent several years and thousands of hours perfecting his artistry within the Oakland community.

Valdivia has spent almost 18 years creating vibrant and precisely detailed murals at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1008 N.E. Atchison and its recreation building, the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center, at 216 N.E. Chandler.

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The last section of Andy Valdivia's "Our History" mural in the basement of the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center features "Barrios," or "neighborhoods" in Spanish.
The last section of Andy Valdivia's "Our History" mural in the basement of the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center features "Barrios," or "neighborhoods" in Spanish.

Valdivia began painting the mural "Our History" in 2011, in the basement of the activity center, showcasing the history of Mexican Americans and their quest for civil rights. He later expanded the mural by 15 feet in 2014 and 2015.

He added two sections with images focusing on the history and culture of Mexico. On the other side, he added illustrations of modern-day happenings.

He then went back to the drawing board in July 2020 and added "Lucha Por Derechos Civiles," which translates to 'fight for civil rights', to the "Our History" mural. Completion time for Lucha Por Derechos Civiles took 628 hours.

Almost 3,000 hours were spent to create all murals

The completed mural "Our History" by Andy Valdivia spans the back wall of the basement at the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center.
The completed mural "Our History" by Andy Valdivia spans the back wall of the basement at the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center.

Now, Valdivia has completed his final piece of "Our History," which he began in March of last year. The "Barrios," which translates to "neighborhood," is the final piece of the mural that showcases illustrations of Keyway Urban Renewal project of 1950, Harold's Prize Package, Topeka High Trojan and many more.

Barrios took 640 hours to complete. Along with the other hours of time dedicated to "Our History," Valdivia's completion time for the entire mural was 2,894 hours.

"When I started it, it was one thing," Valdivia said. "By the time I finished it, there were a lot of changes I made, whether it was moving a building or moving a person."

Valdivia said throughout the entire process he felt like Audrey II, in the 1986 film "Little Shop of Horrors," with the urge to constantly be fed. Whether it was taking the critique of others and adding or having ideas pop in his mind, he knew certain events needed to be included.

Andy Valdivia sits in front of his mural "Village To Village" on Friday in the gymnasium of the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
Andy Valdivia sits in front of his mural "Village To Village" on Friday in the gymnasium of the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

Before "Our History," Valdivia painted "Mi Parroquia," Spanish for "my parish," in the activity center stairwell, “Village to Village” in the activity center gymnasium, and "The Five Apparitions," on the back wall at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Valdivia calculated a total time of 4,574 hours spent to create all murals.

Village to Village was created in the gymnasium's maintenance closet as Valdivia didn't want to to struggle transporting his 7-feet-tall canvases in and out of the gym.

"I'd paint one, take it out, bring another in," he said pointing at the double doors.

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The mural "Mi Parroquia" provides vibrant colors in the stairwell at the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center as artist Andy Valdivia walks toward the artwork Friday.
The mural "Mi Parroquia" provides vibrant colors in the stairwell at the Marlo Cuevas Balandran Activity Center as artist Andy Valdivia walks toward the artwork Friday.

Village to Village was finished in 2020 with the addition of two new panels that expanded each end of the full mural.

Though Valdivia, lifelong parishioner of Our Lady, has completed his artistry within the church, he said he hopes to join on other projects in Topeka.

Keishera Lately is the business reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached at klately@cjonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @Lately_KT.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Andy Valdivia, parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, finishes murals