In celebration of Neighbor Month, learn how a Denver artist connected with his community through local murals
Visual artist Charlo was in search of a creative and social outlet during the pandemic. A native of Mexico still new to Denver, he shared his work on Nextdoor and asked neighbors whether they had a blank space for him to paint a mural, free of charge.
Neighbor Clay offered up his garage door in a nearby alleyway for Charlo’s first mural, an intricate design with words and symbols intertwined. Neighbors loved the result and requests for more murals came pouring in, inspiring Charlo to continue beautifying the neighborhood — one garage door, wall, and unloved space at a time. Today, Charlo has painted over 25 murals and become more connected to his community.
“As an immigrant, it gives me a lot of joy and comfort getting to know my neighbors and feeling like I am growing roots by establishing friendships in this new world where I live now.”
Charlo Garcia Walterbach
Find out more about Charlo’s neighborhood murals on NBC Nightly News.
Is there a nearby work of art that you love — a mural, sculpture, or something you created yourself? Share a picture or video and let your neighbors know where to find it by posting with #LoveYourNeighborhood.
To connect with your local neighborhood, please login at nextdoor.com.