Experience The Bridge of Love, the New Artwork Wel At the Hillsboro Civic Center, the first floor elevator doors now greet visitors with an incredible mural creating a connection to the community through art. A three-panel painting reproduced on vinyl wrap, titled The Bridge of Love, was created by Portland-based artist William Hernandez. Through his artwork Hernandez creates a bridge spanning his past traditions and memories to his life today as an artist, family man, and Peruvian living in the Pacific Northwest. His surreal subjects and his graphic, illustrative style create layered narratives infused with lingering emotions from whimsy to melancholy. According to Hernandez, “This work represents the spiritual and universal connection between the people who make up our community. My hope is that these images will instill the importance of inclusion and social support to the viewing public, as human relationships and love are vital to health and healing.” 18
The City of Hillsboro assembles a team each year comprised of staff from various departments working together to create innovative solutions to challenges faced by the city. The 2019 team focused on ways to make public spaces more inviting and inclusive, while also looking at ways to remove barriers to accessing City services. Community Arts Program Supervisor Melissa Moore, who served on the team, says, “As public servants we recognize the need to make our services more accessible to all Hillsboro residents and that includes making our physical spaces comfortable and inviting.” After seeking community input, the team partnered with the Cultural Arts division of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation to bring colorful artwork to the Civic Center as a way to make the space more welcoming to Hillsboro’s diverse community.
