Public Health is a Puzzle Mural Project

Maria Cocchiarelli-Berger, in collaboration with community leaders, brought the vibrant Public Health is a Puzzle mural to Miner's Plaza in downtown Walsenburg. This impactful artwork transformed the park from a place of mourning to a tribute of hope, resilience, and the miners' enduring legacy.

Completed in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a community celebration, but the mural's significance remains strong. Its bold colors and large scale immediately draw attention, honoring the spirit of miners and highlighting the role of art in public spaces. Conversations with residents during its creation centered around the donkeys, symbolic of workers who sacrificed their health for future air and water quality laws.

Inspired by early 1900s labor reforms, particularly child labor laws captured by photographers Jacob Riis and Lewis Hine, Maria emphasized the power of visual storytelling to ignite social change. Like historical photographs, public art can raise awareness of critical issues and foster dialogue about community revitalization.

This mural became a much larger project than initially planned, with no formal strategy but with overwhelmingly positive results. The collaborative effort included contributions from artists such as Ryan Estelle, Reba Lee Savageau, Svetlana Sowell, Brendt Berger, Chad Carbert, Keith, and Harold Voiles. The support of community leaders like Karen Wilson, Mayor Brian Lelander, Kristy McClendon, Marcy Kay, and Carl Young, along with CDPHE’s initiation, was crucial in bringing the mural to life and fostering hope during difficult times.