Muralist Sandra Gonzalez talks about her goals for creating community through the Corpus Christi Caller-Times mural project.
Two years ago, Sandra Gonzalez found out she was selected to paint a mural in downtown Corpus Christi.
The mural, on the 64-by-36-foot Caller-Times building wall facing Taylor Street, would be a colorful ode to the Sparkling City by the Sea.
More: Caller-Times announces winning artist for mural
Last Friday Gonzalez got engaged in front of what she called her biggest accomplishment, the colorful mural, "Endless Sunset: The Colors of Our City."
Gonzalez's fiance, photographer Earl Parr, proposed to Gonzalez after they had spent the evening at a downtown art show.
Parr chose the date because it was around the time she began working on the mural in 2016. It was also significant because it was the weekend she got to meet art collector and comedian Cheech Marin, she said.
More: Cheech Marin hopes to reach South Texas artists with Tejano-inspired exhibition
"When I started working on the mural he was always there for me, we were a team," Gonzalez said. "He picked the perfect spot because he knows that as an artist, this mural has been my biggest accomplishment."
More: Caller-Times mural dedication ceremony
Gonzalez began the installation of the mural in early 2016 and the finished piece was unveiled during a ceremony on Aug. 5 of that year. The community also helped paint the mural.
The couple began dating eight years ago after they met at an art show at House of Rock.
Attending art shows, walks around downtown and taking selfies by the mural is something the couple often does, she said.
That's why the proposal was such a surprise to her.
"I was so grumpy that night because I had not eaten anything and he told me he wanted to go take a photo by the mural," Gonzalez said. "Once we got there he got down on one knee and proposed and it was so special.
"Now I told him we're going to have to take our wedding photos in front of the mural, too. We're going to make it a tradition from now on."
More: Here's a list of downtown Corpus Christi murals
#VivaCC
Share your photos in front of the mural on social media using #VivaCC for a chance to see them on our social wall or next week's VivaCC section.
The Caller-Times muralist, Sandra Gonzalez, brought a few panels to the building to give the staff a chance to contribute to the mural project. Sandra will also have some community painting times the week starting March 14th - 1:45 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Art Center and 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Art Center. She'll be back in town March 23 at the Art Center, 1:45 p.m.-7:30 p.m., and again on March 26 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Art Center.