The recreation room at the Ceres Community Center now bears a full-wall mural designed to reflect on the activities seen often in the room.

Angela Mendoza, a long-time Ceres resident, designed and created the rainbow-like artwork with silhouettes of five individuals engaged in various activities, including yoga, dance and ballet.

It took Mendoza 26 hours on the project over a two-week period, having to work around activities in the room before 11 a.m. and after 3 p.m. It was her first attempt at a major art project and she admits she was a bit scared to do it.

"I'm only 5 feet tall and it's eight feet tall by 16 feet wide," said Mendoza.

She is happy with the final product which conveys the "energy that's in the room with the energy colors."
Mendoza said the silhouettes - which she drew and enlarged on the wall with an opaque projector - are representative of "all the different people who use that room." For example, wheelchair bound persons sometimes come in for the strength training in the Heart Healthy program for seniors as well as the Zumba classes.
"The mural was a collaboration between (Recreation Supervisor) Cambria (Pollinger) and I and at least they didn't have to hire a real artist," said Mendoza, who is quite involved with a number of city rec programs at the Community Center.

The city Recreation Department honored Mendoza on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 18.