Trail of Tejano Legends
Inauguration and Public Art Dedication
Saturday, March 14, 2009
10am: music starts
11am: Official Ceremony begins
Mexican American Cultural Center
600 River St, Austin, TX
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The City of Austin, through the Art in Public Places program, commissioned Austin artist, Connie Arismendi, to create permanent public artworks for three of the five renamed sites along the Trail of Tejano Legends. The sculptures at the Roy Montelongo Scenic Overlook, Nash Hernandez Road, and Perez and Ramos Plaza at the MACC commemorate the significant musical contributions of Austin’s Tejano and Hispanic Communities and enhance people’s understanding and experience of the Trail for residents and visitors of Austin. Working primarily with aqua jet cut aluminum sheet metal, Arismendi's sculptural works capture the character of each musician and honor their significant cultural contribution. Additionally, to achieve a visual identity for the Trail, the artist integrated a decorative treble clef design and references to a record, CD or spotlight, as recurring motifs, at the individual sites.
Download a PDF Trail of Tejano Legends Map.

Una Canción de Fe Y Familia (A Song of Faith and Family)
Arismendi’s sculpture for the Perez and Ramos Plaza at the Mexican-American Cultural Center honors the deep musical tradition and cultural contribution of the Perez and Ramos families, represented by the brothers Ruben and Ernest Perez, and Alfonso and Ruben Ramos. The artwork portrays the Perez brothers playing the saxophone and the Ramos brothers engaged in song. The performers each led their own orchestra or band, and are joined by two curvilinear “stage structures” to symbolize the link between the two families. The vertical supports represent curtains on the side of the stage and a curving cut metal pattern based on a modified treble clef sits at the top and holds the names of these great families. Overall dimensions of the artwork are 13 ft. high by 22 ft. wide.

Tenderly
is situated along Nash Hernandez Sr. Road in Festival Beach Park. Arismendi’s sculpture acknowledges the musical contribution of the legendary orchestra leader and trumpeter, and his enduring love for his wife. A cut metal silhouette of Nash Hernandez stands atop a 4 foot tall base that includes two lyrics from “Tenderly,” Nash’s final song of each performance that he would dedicate to his wife Minnie. A 6 ft diameter ring forms a “spotlight” in back of the figure, and swirling treble clefs surround the column to create a dramatic Big Band setting. Overall dimensions of the artwork are 11 ft. high by 3 ft. wide by 6 ft. length.

¡Estamos en Tejas!
at the Roy Montelongo Scenic Overlook is located at the eastern most point of the Trail and provides shade and a welcoming environment for visitors to reflect on Roy’s musical accomplishments. A significant enhancement to the Trail, Arismendi’s shade structure, ¡Estamos en Tejas!, is comprised of concentric circles of metal that reference a spinning record in honor of Montelongo’s more than 20 recorded albums. The shade canopy is 18 ft. in diameter and emblazoned with the Trail’s treble clef motif that casts shadows across the footpath throughout the day. The support column features three 4 ft. medallions that depict a portrait of Roy Montelongo, his love of music and family, and his long standing radio program ¡Estamos en Tejas! Overall dimensions of the artwork are 14 ft. high by 18 ft. in diameter.

Connie Arismendi is a nationally recognized sculptor and installation artist living and working in Austin, TX. She received a BFA from The University of Texas and an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her artwork is shaped by the profound emotional and intellectual concepts of family, memory, and spirituality. Recently honored by the Art in the Embassies program; her paintings are in the Permanent Collection for the Embassy of the United States, Belmopan, Belize. Her work is in major private and public collections in the United States and Mexico, and has been featured in numerous publications. Arismendi has been awarded public art commissions in Austin, Fort Worth and Chicago.

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