This employee-painted mural near the entrance to Rio Ranch was designed to emphasize the cowboy ambiance of the establishment.
In recent years, Westchase District has invested in commissioning public art, both in the form of “muralitos” painted on traffic signal control boxes as well as large-scale murals on building exteriors and along the District’s trail system. But this year, voters said that their favorite public art installation is one not sponsored by the District. The 2019 choice for Best Public Art is the mural facing Westheimer Road on the exterior of Rio Ranch. Depicting a lone rancher riding herd, the mural emphasizes the campfire ambiance of the restaurant’s cowboy cuisine.
“It was painted in 2016 by Juan Najera, one of our banquet associates,” Orlando said. “That makes this recognition even more rewarding for us, knowing that art created by one of our talented employees is enjoyed and appreciated.”
