Light and Art: An exploration of Guadalupe with Cal Duran

Cal Duran remembers the first time he saw the Virgin of Guadalupe in a church in North Denver as a child.  He was captured by her motherly spirit and the glowing light surrounding her. When he was sixteen, he painted a mural of Guadalupe on his bedroom wall.  “On my journey of making art, she has always been present,” he says, gesturing to the plethora of Guadalupe pieces in his Denver art studio.  

In 2017, Cal was invited to paint a large mural of La Virgen in Westwood, and the piece has become a staple in the neighborhood.  She glitters in the sunlight, a visual representation of the light and energy she carries with her. Cal had never done a mural of this size before, but he felt Guadalupe calling to him as a protector of the Westwood neighborhood because of her universality and the way she resonates with so many.  

You don’t have to be religious to connect to Guadalupe.  Cal connects to the energy and power she carries, and her presence as an earth mother.  We all have a light inside of us, he states, and she is the gateway to that. She is surrounded by stars and sitting on the moon in an ethereal glow.  He hopes that those who see his art are captured by her magical feel and her universal elements. 

For Cal, art has been a way to discover his own cultural identity, teach others, and to listen to the call of his ancestors.  Those who came before him guide him in his practice, which includes clay, painting, paper mache, and a variety of mixed media.

“Art has the ability to take you to a different realm and support you in the healing process,” Cal shares as he adds clay to a life-size Guadalupe sculpture he is creating.  This particular piece is a mix of clay and paper mache and will be used for an altar and processional at Re:Vision’s upcoming art gallery, Symbols and Miracles of The Lady of the Stars: A Tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe.  He hopes that visitors will look this sculpture in the eye and feel her light and draw.

Visit the show and gallery November 29th through January 3rd to see Cal Duran’s work, including the life size sculpture, paintings, prints, ceramics, and more!

Cal Duran works on a sculpture of Guadalupe for Re:Vision’s upcoming show