Lower Valley mural colorfully highlights importance of family

El Paso, Texas -- A new mural in El Paso's Lower Valley is catching the attention of many locals in the community, and for good reason.

"We've been painting for quite some time now and we felt it was time to give something back to the community," said local artist Ruben Mariscal.

Mariscal is one of seven artists who teamed up to paint the 125-foot mural in a Lower Valley neighborhood that showcases characters from the Disney Pixar movie Coco.

In the movie, Miguels grandmother suffers from memory loss. At the end of the movie, a simple song is what helps bring back a few memories for her. That scene was the main inspiration behind creating the Coco-themed mural.

"Growing up in a Hispanic family with many relatives who catch diseases later on down the line, and it effects the family mainly, and we just wanted to show support to the community to show that we're in the fight just as much as they are," said Mariscal.

The mural was painted on a wall that belongs to Torres Auto Service located at Alameda and Seville Drive.

"We asked the owner for permission to use his wall for our mural and in return we offered to paint his business logo for him completely free," said Mariscal.

The mural took all seven artists about a week and a half to complete. The artists used only spray paint to create the Coco-inspired mural which includes the main character, Miguel, as well as his other family members and characters in the movie.

The artists were proud to bring color and culture to an area that sometimes gets overlooked by many. They hope that this mural will give inspiration to those who pass by it but most importantly they hope that people will understand the importance of family and to continue to celebrate the memory of those lost.

"I thought about my grandma a lot and some of my uncles who had passed away," said another local artist simply known as Seas. "I think it's important that we remember our family members not just on Dia De Los Muertos, but everyday."

Mariscal and all the other artists are hoping that other local businesses can donate new walls or areas to them so they can continue creating murals throughout the community to showcase our culture and to inspire others who visit the borderland.

You can find more information on the location of the mural and the artists behind it by clicking here.