New works honor artist Alicia Cardenas who was murdered in 2021 Denver shooting spree

A year ago, neighborhoods across Denver and Lakewood were shaken by gun violence after a man went on a shooting spree, taking the lives of five people before he was killed by an officer at the Belmar Shopping Center.  It happened last Dec. 27.

One of the five victims owned the Sol Tribe tattoo shop on Broadway. Alicia Cardenas was 44 years old, a mom, and a gifted artist.  Now she's being remembered in new works, including a mural and documentary.

"Muralism is an opportunity for us to be seen, to be able to speak more clearly and loudly who we are," Cardenas says in the film.

The documentary by the Chicano Murals of Colorado Project captured Cardenas just before her death.

The Project's Executive Director Lucha Martinez de Luna said, "That happened five weeks before the tragedy so I feel very fortunate to have been able to get her voice."

The film showcases the importance preserving public murals created by Chicano artists – such as Cardenas - in Denver and across the Southwest.

Cardenas goes on to say in the film, "It's finally being accepted. It's finally being celebrated. So it's like screaming out finally, like getting our chance."

"She was very much a feminist," Martinez said about Cardenas, pointing out a mural the late artist painted at 27th and Larimer.  Created during the pandemic, Cardenas's work there is a snapshot of history that blends themes from Black Lives Matter with Indigenous motifs.

"For me it's very important that we protect this mural because she was reaching a moment where she was doing a lot of murals speaking about social justice and now this is all we have of her. To remember her legacy," said Martinez de Luna.

Nearby another mural has been painted in tribute to Cardenas.  She's looking up at the sky and is surrounded by butterflies and marigolds – the iconic flower of Dia de los Muertos.

Jodie Herrera painted the image of Cardenas, together with artists Jher Seno and Jaime Molina.

Herrera said, "She was a big inspiration, not only for me, but anybody that she met. And so when I was painting it, it just felt like she was present, she was there. And it just, it gave me a moment that I felt like I didn't get to have with her before she was gone."

Known as "Mama Matriarch" the mural honors a woman who gave so much to others.  Herrera added, "She always stood up for what was right. She was a big voice, and she had a big personality, and she had a lot of love."

Cardenas had said her murals were her prayers.

You can learn more about the documentary "These Storied Walls" at chicanomuralsofcolorado.com and where to see Cardenas's art on Instagram.