By Rebecca Band
Eduardo Pineda believes that every wall has the potential to tell a story.
Pineda has been part of the US Community Mural Movement for nearly 40 years and has worked on more than 70 murals over the course of his career. His works of art can be seen all over the Bay Area, from the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District to the walls of some of the area’s finest art museums.
Now, Pineda’s creative vision and artistic prowess will shine from the walls of IBEW 1245’s Weakley Hall. He’s the man behind a new mural that will be unveiled this spring.
A Celebration of Work
While many artists tend to focus on famous or infamous people and events, Pineda draws much of his artistic inspiration from “regular people.”
“I feel like we could all use some more creativity in our everyday lives,” Pineda said, “and I like that murals can help us celebrate those everyday moments that make our lives meaningful.”
That’s the basis of his inspiration for the IBEW 1245 mural. According to Pineda, it’s “a celebration of work and the union itself. It includes everything from linemen to customer service reps; all the different trades [of Local 1245] are represented. And it has a section that looks at the future of the union and the energy sector.”
The mural also features a depiction of the union’s founder, Ron Weakley, tying together the union’s storied history with its bright future. But the central figures in the mural are the families, because at its core, that’s what the union is all about – fighting for and protecting quality jobs that allow Local 1245 members to support their families and raise their children.
“I wanted the mural to be broad enough so that different people in the union can look at the wall and find something in it to relate to,” Pineda explained. “I want members to be able to connect with the imagery in the mural and with the union itself. I also want to give the wall some longevity, so it stays relevant over time.”
Pineda noted that he appreciates how the mural fits in with the photos and historical paraphernalia that is already on display throughout the union hall. “It’s nice to have the hand-brushed quality of the mural offset by all of the historical objects and images,” said Pineda.
The Process
Pineda began the first phase of theLocal 1245 mural in the fall of 2014. He met with members of the Executive Board and the union’s staff to find out what they’d like to see, and he also conducted his own research to learn more about the union and its diverse membership.
“I put together some ideas that reflected the core concept … then the Eboard gave me some additional feedback about the portrayal, particularly in terms of what the union will be like in the future,” said Pineda. He took their feedback into account in his next draft of the design, and got the go-ahead to begin transferring his drawing to the wall in late 2014. He started the detailed transfer process shortly after the New Year, and then the painting process began in earnest.
“In spending a good amount of time here, I’ve realized this union hall is a pretty vibrant place,” said Pineda, referring to the gamut of meetings, conferences, and members coming and going nearly every day. “It’s also a really visual environment. I’m glad that there’s room for the mural in this great central location. I think it’s pretty terrific.”
The mural is well on its way to completion. Drop by Weakley Hall later this spring to see how art tells our union’s story while bringing new color and movement to our headquarters.