Ed Fuentes, my biological father, passed away unexpectedly the morning of February 7 at the age of 59.

The L.A. Times wrote a glowing obituary for Ed, painting a grand picture of his passion for art, murals, writing and civic activism.

Ed was preparing to deliver artwork for his first exhibit “Homeboy Fauxism” at the Riverside Art Museum, slated to open February 10--the day I learned of his passing. The exhibit has been postponed, and I hope the stars align and I’m able to attend its opening reception.

But since that’s TBA, I wanted to pay homage to Ed in our most obvious connection (besides our features)--blogging about murals.

Damp, cold and with a phone holding minimal battery power (things Ed probably never had to worry about with a DSLR in sunny Los Angeles and Vegas), I set out to explore some of the Willamette Valley’s mural projects.

I barely scratched the surface of these multi-artwork projects that are set to expand even more over the next few years. I encourage you to explore them yourself and appreciate the beauty they’re bringing to their communities.