This Paletero Cart Art Show is curated by Westwood local artist Juls Mendoza in partnership with Re:Vision and History Colorado Museum. The exhibit features seven paletero carts painted by Latinx and BIPOC Denver Artists, inspired by the stories of Westwood’s beloved paleteros.

This project celebrates our community’s “paleteros” and raises awareness of the important role street vendors play in Southwest Denver. These mobile art pieces are inspired by the oral histories of our neighborhood’s paleteros, collected by Westwood youth participating in Re:Vision’s afterschool programming, Semillas de Esperanza (“Seeds of Hope”), funded by Colorado Health Foundation.

Through the vibrant paletero carts, we create a living history of these vendors and honor their vital role in our immigrant, Latinx community while showcasing the talents of local artists. We hope these carritos, painted by local Denver artists, will spark greater interest and awareness about the paleteros' significance.

Carrito 1

Alvaro (Paletero)

Alvaro is from Juárez, Chihuahua, and has worked as a paletero for 20 years. While the job isn’t difficult, it comes with risks, and selling now requires more effort, like engaging with people, compared to simply ringing the bell in the past.

Aalycia Rodriguez (Artist)

Aalycia Rodriguez is a 21 year old local Chicana artist from Southwest Denver. Aalycia has been an art instructor for In Lak'ech Denver Arts for 2 years, she is passionate about teaching youth to love and embrace their culture through art. She creates artwork to empower the people of her community with representation in her paintings.

Oral History collected by: Aldo Rosas-Flores and Ivana Martinez

Soundcloud link to full oral history of the Paletero who inspired the design of this cart

Carrito 2

Carlos (Paletero)

Carlos, a 70-year-old from San Isidro, Chihuahua, proudly shares that his hometown is the birthplace of revolutionary Pascual Orozco, and his maternal grandmother was Pancho Villa’s niece. He recalls a happy childhood with loving parents, siblings, and days spent swimming in the river.

Anthony Garcia Sr (Artist)

Anthony Garcia Sr. was born and raised in Denver, in the Globeville community. Starting off as a graffiti writer, his knowledge of the Denver art scene and his go-getter attitude molded him into a force to be reckoned with early on. He is also the co-founder of Birdseed Collective (a DIY group of artists working together to create a more accessible platform for up and coming talents to express themselves). His artistic training was molded by Denver “Art Street” program and the Center for Visual Arts.

Oral History collected by: Evelyn Godina and Astrud Alatriste

Soundcloud link to full oral history of the Paletero who inspired the design of this cart

Carrito 3

Jose (Paletero)

Jose was born in a small town in Chihuahua, he attended school until 4th grade. His favorite childhood memory is riding horses with friends. He has been a paletero for 20 years. Married with four children, he admits it’s challenging to make ends meet as a paletero.

Danielle SeeWalker (Artist)

Danielle SeeWalker is Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta and citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota. She is a fine artist, muralist, writer, activist, and boymom of two, based in Denver, Colorado. Her visual artwork often incorporates the use of mixed media and experimentation while incorporating traditional Native American materials, scenes, and messaging. Her artwork pays homage to her identity as a Lakȟóta wíŋyaŋ (woman) and her passion to redirect the narrative to an accurate and insightful representation of contemporary Native America while still acknowledging historical events.

Oral History collected by: Alondra Molina and Ashley Caldera

Soundcloud link to full oral history of the Paletero who inspired the design of this cart

Carrito 4

Marco Antonio (Paletero)

Marco Antonio grew up in rural Mexico, working in the fields from a young age, and as a child, his favorite toy was stick horses. At 46, he lives alone with his four dogs and started working as a paletero this season after surviving a brain aneurysm. He thought the work would be easy but found it exhausting due to the constant walking.

Emanuel Martinez (Artist)

As a muralist, painter and sculptor he has an outstanding status among nationally known artists. Since establishing a studio in 1968, Martinez has received international acclaim and prestigious awards for his design capabilities and high standards of workmanship. He has been featured in over 350 newspaper/magazine articles and 38 published books, including a book written on his art career entitled: “Emanuel Martinez: A Retrospective”.

Oral History collected by: Ruby Solis Contreras and Dennison Mejia

Soundcloud link to full oral history of the Paletero who inspired the design of this cart

Carrito 5

Vicente (Paletero)

Vicente, from Puebla, Mexico, is about 50 years old and fondly remembers his childhood, especially playing with his favorite toy, "el trompo" (a spinning top). He has been a paletero for five years and enjoys meeting new people and bringing joy through his treats.

Thomas Evans-Detour (Artist)

Thomas Evans, a.k.a. Detour, is an all-around creative specializing in large scale public art, interactive visuals, portraiture, immersive spaces, and creative directing. His focus is to create work where art and innovation meet. With his ever-evolving approach to art, Detour’s focus is on expanding customary views of creativity and challenging fine-art paradigms by mixing traditional mediums with new approaches—all the while opening up the creative process from that of a singular artist, to one that thrives on multi-layered collaboration and viewer participation.

Oral History collected by: Ada Maris Sanchez and Montserrat Juarez Araoz

Soundcloud link to full oral history of the Paletero who inspired the design of this cart

Carrito 6

Adrian (Paletero)

Adrian is 36 years old and was born in San Luis Potosí Mexico. He has been a paletero for two years. He says he enjoys it because it gives him the opportunity to meet new people, engage in conversations, and stay active through all the walking.

Jolt (Artist)

Jolt is a fourth-generation Denver native and seasoned muralist with over two decades of experience. Deeply rooted in his culture, Jolt’s work reflects a commitment to authenticity and intentionality, drawing inspiration from his origins and community. A dedicated practitioner of graffiti, street art, and muralism, his creations are infused with purpose, bridging tradition and contemporary expression.

Oral History collected by: Dulce Rodriguez and Miguel Silva

Soundcloud link to full oral history of the Paletero who inspired the design of this cart

Carrito 7

Arturo (Dueño de paleteria)

Arturo was born in Huitzila, Zacatecas. He began his career as a paletero working for another company. With years of experience, he mastered the art of making paletas and eventually decided to start his own business. Now, he has been running his paleta business for over 30 years.

Julio Mendoza”Juls” (Artist)

Julio Mendoza (Juls) is a multidisciplinary artist who celebrates his heritage through art. His artistic style, "Cultural Surrealism", focuses on Cultural Identity and Community. Raised in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Juls' style is deeply influenced by his Mexican heritage and has created large-scale murals in the all around Colorado, Europe and Mexico.