Cochise Newsroom

Memories of meeting friends, family, fair food, rodeo, carnival rides and the Cochise County landscape are now part of a community mural at the Cochise County Fairgrounds. 

 

Cochise College students in a Special Topics mural course created a mural during a 16-week semester under the instruction of Ash Dahlke. Beginning in January and completing the project in May, students experienced the full process professional muralists use, researching and developing ideas, working with a client, planning materials, ordering supplies and bringing a large-scale design to life. 

 

The project began with a simple question: What do students remember most about going to the Cochise County Fair? 

Working in small groups, students shared their favorite memories and experiences. Conversations about food, rodeo, exhibits, rides and the surrounding landscape became the inspiration for the mural's design. 

 

"The students started by thinking about their own experiences at the fair and the memories that stood out to them," Dahlke said. "Those personal connections became the foundation for the images they developed. The goal was to celebrate both the fair and Cochise County." 

 

Creating the mural required students to do much more than paint. 

 

Unlike a studio project created primarily by an individual artist, a public mural requires collaboration with other artists, the client and the community where the artwork will live. Students worked together throughout the semester, making decisions, solving problems and taking responsibility for different pieces of a shared project. 

 

"Each student gained a deeper understanding of what it means to work collaboratively and how to create accountability and trust within a small group while tackling a challenging project," Dahlke said. 

 

The course also introduced students to the practical side of producing public art, moving from brainstorming and research to communicating with a client, determining supply needs and implementing a large-scale project. 

 

"I hope what they learned creates a ripple effect," added Dahlke. "They now have firsthand experience with how a mural moves from an idea to a finished piece. If they want to create murals elsewhere in the community, they have experience they can build on." 
  
The project also offered students an opportunity to contribute to a place that holds memories for generations of Cochise County residents. 

"For the community, I hope the mural creates a sense of joy and pride in a place that is so beloved," Dahlke said. 

 

The mural is located at the Cochise County Fairgrounds on the side of the restroom building closest to the fair offices. 

 

The Cochise County Fair Association funded paint and materials for the project, with additional project needs supported by the Cochise College Liberal Arts Division. 

 

Artists 

 

Natalia “Michi” Alonso Cabrera 
Kate Fry 
Vernicci Garcia 
Alexis Nomides 
Stella Rees  
Estefania Ramirez Toscano 

Dale Miller - Staff 
Ash Dahlke- Instructor 

 

The mural is one example of how Cochise College students apply classroom learning through projects connected to the communities they serve. 

 

For more information about Cochise College and its fine arts programs, visit www.cochise.edu.