Self-taught artist wins Pueblo Levee Mural Project contest for history-laden submission
Desiree Talmich has long had an interest in drawing comics and cartoon characters but only recently tried her hand at mural art.
Talmich, a self-taught artist who has lived in Pueblo since 2011, was named winner of the Pueblo Levee Mural Project contest sponsored by Pueblo City Council and the mayor's office. Her winning design depicts a timeline of Pueblo's history — including a homage to the Native American tribes who lived on the land, the five flags on Pueblo's seal and scenes from Pueblo's history.
The design will be featured on the Pueblo Levee Mural — a three-mile mural along the Arkansas River that was once certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest outdoor painting.
"When I first approached my submission, I wanted to dive headfirst into the history of Pueblo,” Talmich said. “My idea behind it was to show the history of events that occurred as you go through the letters and flags.”
Talmich's design spells out the word "Pueblo," with the "P" sporting the colors of the four directions to represent the Native American tribes that were acquainted with the area before European contact. Letters "U" through "B" include colors of the French, Spanish, Mexican, Texan and American flags — five nations or territories that have claimed land in Pueblo throughout its history.
In 1803, land north of the Arkansas River was sold from France to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Land south of the river was Spanish Territory until 1821, when Mexico won its fight for independence. The Republic of Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836, taking the land south of the Arkansas with it before it was gained back by Mexico a few years later. In 1848, both sides of the river became U.S. territory.
The "L" in Talmich's design has the colors of the Colorado flag, and the "O" has designs featured the city of Pueblo's flag. Drawings underneath each letter tell a story of Pueblo's history. Members of the Ute, Arapaho and Jicarilla Apache tribes travel on horseback under the "P," and a rendering of the El Pueblo Trading Post can be seen under the "U."
Other scenes and symbols on the design depict bison roaming on the Colorado plains, a miner panning for gold, a flooding Arkansas River, a locomotive, the steel mill and a Pueblo Chile.
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Originally from Lamar, Talmich came to Pueblo following her graduation from La Junta High School. Her first design on the Pueblo Levee Mural Project was a Pokemon-themed design made in 2022. She already has completed the design for her latest, contest-winning mural design on an iPad and will recreate it with supplies and production costs paid for by the city.
Talmich also sells custom artwork and showcases her work on her "Desi Drew Designs" Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages. She has future plans to collaborate with fellow artist Shannon Palmer of Deadhand Art and the El Pueblo History Museum for her third painting on the levee.
"I've wanted to be an artist my whole life ... when you're young, everyone tells you to pick a job that will get you more money — something that will be more successful," she said. "To me, I'm like '(art) is what's going to make me be successful — art and my love for art.'"
Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo artist Desiree Talmich crowned winner of mural project contest
