Artist unveils library mural concept blending reading, writing and Arizona imagery

Artist Adrian Ramirez presented a two-panel mural concept to the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission on May 6, describing the work as "the relationship between writing and reading and how it leads to creative imagination." The proposed installation will occupy an elevated 8-by-24-foot span inside the Surprise Regional Library and is designed to read from across the room, using a warm daytime palette on the left panel and a darker Arizona-night palette on the right to create a continuous visual story.

Commissioners generally praised the design’s palette and narrative flow but raised practical concerns about visibility and continuity. One commissioner said the darker panel may be harder to read in the library’s corner and asked whether the nighttime imagery would translate at the mural’s installed scale. Another commissioner suggested a whimsical detail — "Would there be any way that you could add a small desert mouse in the potted plant?" — to echo the cat figure and add a playful surprise for viewers. Ramirez agreed to add a mouse and a distant window detail and to refine hands and shoes in his final pass.

Ramirez described technical and compositional goals for the piece: the left panel shows a writer mid-creation, with crumpled drafts and surreal forms emerging; the right panel shows a reader absorbed in a book with pages and architectural forms blurring into a shared landscape across the middle. He said the artwork is about immersion and subtle narrative cues, and that he added texture to objects so viewers will discover details on repeated viewing.

On technical feasibility, commissioners discussed die-cut or routed vinyl edges to break the panels’ clean borders and create a more three-dimensional feel. Ramirez said he would consult the fabricator AZPRO about whether a die-cut route would be possible and what it would cost. He also confirmed the artwork will be digitally adaptable and could be used for outreach materials; commissioners suggested using the design for library cards or a library-card contest to boost engagement.

Next steps: Ramirez said he would complete the final edits within a few days, request a print-and-install quote from AZPRO, and expects final installation within roughly three to four weeks after approvals and contracting. The commission will receive updates as the design is finalized and the city contracts for print and installation.