The good news: De Anza’s first mural is almost done. The bad news: Michael Selby, art student and mural project manager, asked this reporter to refrain from photographing the panels in progress, so as not to detract from the unveiling of the completed mural, expected at the end of this year.

The mural has myriad interwoven scenes, the double helix of human DNA molecules, key historical figures from among generations of social activism, a tree with a face, symbolic representations of capitalism, and a surrealist image of a woman with a mountain range backbone.

The following artists: John Daguia, Andy Gouvia, Rebecca Hartman, Erin Kawa-mata, Josh Luke and Maria Pugnetti, all DeAnza students at the inception of this project, have been led by the project manager, Michael Selby.

They have been painting the 13 wooden mural panels, since June 2000 and are expecting to complete the artwork by the end of December.

All of the artists have been involved in each step of the mural from concept to design to preparation work, sketching and painting.

The thirteen panels are going to cover an 8-foot by 52-foot wall on the L-8 building.

The wooden panels were covered with white gesso to protect the wood from deterioration and provide a base for the artwork, then the art is painted in acrylic and will be covered with a waterproof, graffiti-proof sealer coat.

The building is currently equipped with some lighting on the relevant wall, although Selby says some additional floodlights would make the mural more visible to evening students.

La Voz reported on February 14, that instructor Eugene Rodriguez originally had the idea of creating a mural on campus. He approached Michael Selby with the mural idea.

Selby wrote the proposal and presented it to the DASB. The DASB granted $18,550 to the mural project last October. Selby would like to see this mural be the first among many on campus.