Students Help Bring New Mural To Life In Celebration Of Aggie Traditions

The creativity of students in the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts is on full display in a new visual tribute to Aggie traditions.

Through a collaboration between Texas A&M University and Secret Walls, students in the college were among those who helped to paint a vibrant mural in the Polo Road food court on Oct. 3.

The artwork was designed by Houston-based graphic artist David Maldonado, with input and assistance from 27 students to bring the mural to life. The project is part of a broader initiative by Secret Walls, a collective that connects artists with brands through creative partnerships and hosts competitive live art events. Secret Walls is collaborating with several universities to create murals that represent the history and traditions on those campuses.

Over two days, students worked with Maldonado to paint iconic Aggie culture, including “Howdy” and “Gig ’em,” an Aggie Ring, the 12^th Man, maroon bonnets and students mid-sway during the Aggie War Hymn. In the top left corner is the message to everyone who passes by: “Together, we stand as a force for good.”

“We took the time to make sure that we got things right,” Maldonado said. “When we talked to the students, we wanted to make sure their ideas and memories were there. Understanding everybody’s perspective was important.”

To prepare for the project, Graphic Design I students participated in a coloring workshop led by artist George F. Baker III, who was invited by Secret Walls. Students were encouraged to express themselves through art as an exercise prior to painting the mural.

Jill Honeycutt, M.F.A., senior associate academic undergraduate program director for Visualization and instructional associate professor, said students painting on a large scale like a mural will eventually step back and realize, “Oh, I made that.”

“It’s a little piece that they’re working on, but it’s part of such a bigger image,” she said. “Which, I think just portrays a lot about being a human and being an Aggie, and how we’re a little piece in this big puzzle.”

Bela Gomez, a senior Visualization student, said Maldonado encouraged her to be confident in her approach to painting. During the preparation stages, Gomez suggested the Aggie War Hymn scene as one of the visual elements.

“When I think of Texas A&M, I usually think about the Aggie War Hymn, where everybody is putting their arms around each other,” she said. “And I was really happy to see that they incorporated that on the mural.”

Jaime Guerrero, content manager for Secret Walls, said he was encouraged by the students’ input and work ethic, and how they collaborated to reflect the history of the university.

“We didn’t really just want to come in and kind of leave our own imprint,” he said. “We wanted the students to think creatively. Even though some of them aren’t muralists, they are all still artists, and that really shows through their work.”

Maldonado called art a “vessel for culture and story,” and said that learning about the rich culture at Texas A&M was impressive. The mural will forever represent Aggie traditions, he said.

Honeycutt noted the importance of students being actively involved throughout the creative process. Watching them reflect on their time on campus was exciting, she said, as they recognized how the mural could echo traditions.

“In our circle of art, I think it’s really important for students to see that art exists here, and that it can live and breathe here and people can interact with it,” she said. “They were all excited about adding the Aggie imagery, but it was really just about the community and how we’re stronger together.”

Gomez said she felt proud to contribute to a lasting piece of campus history, one that she can visit in later years.

“Maybe I’ll come back and see the mural and remember that I worked on it,” she said. “And knowing that makes me really happy.”