Ever notice the murals or street art of Nob Hill?

Albuquerque has seen an explosion of mural projects in the last decade, especially along a lively section of Central Avenue known locally as Nob Hill. Nob Hill is a suburb of Albuquerque’s downtown area along old Route 66 and within walking distance of the University of New Mexico and is now a modern district bursting with activity. Its college crowd and Route 66 history has made Nob Hill a unique attraction in the city, thanks in part to colorful murals painted by local artists who use their creative talents to tell stories that showcase their New Mexican pride. They paint to bring attention to important topics, such as Southwestern culture, sustainability, global warming, water conservation, and the strength of community.
These murals add life to the neighborhood and provoke conversations about who we are as New Mexicans. They create a sense of community and “a deep sense of character and culture,” said an employee of The LA Underground spray paint shop. Albuquerque is such an artistic hotspot that there are mural festivals where many artists come to paint and celebrate their culture, connecting visitors to Nob Hill with New Mexicans from all over the state.
While walking around Nob Hill, I couldn’t help but wonder how all this street art gets approved and ends up in these random nooks and crannies on Central. Upon further research, I found that a big contributor to providing spaces for the art we see is the Nob Hill Main Street Association, a nonprofit organization that works in the Nob Hill district to revitalize blighted areas. Nichole Harwood from the NM News Port writes that it was established in 2009 and hosts events to draw people to Nob Hill and fund murals and other art pieces that add to the community. Along with the support of residents, business owners, and preservation groups, the association seeks grant funding to provide “canvases” for artists and muralists who wish to add more individuality and culture to the neighborhood’s streetscape. I noticed many themes in the murals I saw while walking and driving around in the Nob Hill area. Most of them focused on the history of Route 66, the culture of Nob Hill or Albuquerque, Southwest landscapes, or historically significant people to the community. The themes present in the mural reflected the goals of the Nob Hill Main Street Association.
One piece that caught my eye was a massive mural with an ominous man in a trench coat on the brick walls of Moxi Hair Studio. The mural was created by an artist named Aaron Stromberg in 2016. He was funded by the Nob Hill Main Street Association in 2016 and was specifically asked to create a mural that would celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the district. As reported in NM News Port, Stromberg grew up locally, went to UNM, and continued to live in the area after graduating. While planning what to paint, Stromberg drew inspiration from other muralists who painted complex and impactful historical pieces that reflect a point in time. Once finished, Stromberg said that his mural is “about researching Nob Hill and understanding what Nob Hill is becoming and trying to convey that.” Stromberg struck me as a creator who really tries to speak to the people of the community and craft his art for those who would appreciate it and the history behind it. Looking at Stromberg’s other works of art, his paintings revealed a voice of their own. The mural in Nob Hill is just one example of his mission to speak to his viewers.

While searching for other interesting murals, I noticed a rather complex work of art in black and white outside of a craft supply store created by Larry Bob Phillips. The name “Albuquerque ” was loud, proud, and clearly on display in the mural, and I could only imagine the thought and significance of the things that were put into this work of art. According to NM News Port, Phillips was also funded by the Nob Hill Main Street Association and is also an alumnus of the UNM art program. Nicole Harwood writes that Phillips taught at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), which led him to study the culture and traditions of New Mexico. Phillips believes New Mexico is one of the most layered and beautifully rich places in the United States, and he tried to incorporate that sense of originality through close attention to details in his mural. While standing on a sidewalk on Central and looking at his mural on the side of a building, I was able to notice detail after detail, starting with a large yucca plant in the corner,then some cactuses, then a hummingbird by the bottom of the mural. It was almost as if I was looking in one of my Eye-Spy books from when I was a little kid. By looking at other murals or paintings he has done, it reveals how seriously he takes being a Southwestern artist and how much he enjoys combining comic book style imagery with more classic landscape art. I believe Phillips is an artist who thinks of painting New Mexico as painting one people with different spiritual, religious, and political undertones. As a person who calls New Mexico home, he said to NM News Port it was an honor to have painted a mural in such a diverse and welcoming sector of our city.

As residents of New Mexico and students at Albuquerque Academy, it should be our duty to learn as much about New Mexican culture as we can. So, the next time you’re driving down Central Avenue and find yourself in Nob Hill, take a look around at its numerous murals and street paintings. Park your car and walk around for a while so you can appreciate that every colorful work of art you’re seeing represents what it means to be a New Mexican.