The talents of a gifted artist deserve a venue for presentation and support for their endeavors. The helping hand however does not always come from typical spaces such as art galleries or museums. You may recognize their name from the tasty tequila being poured into many of your favorite drinks and shots, but Jose Cuervo has expanded upon their name recognition and is giving back to the artist community in a major way. The brand has a long history of supporting the arts and the Latin culture in which it is rooted. This good will has birthed an artistically driven contest called the ‘Tradicional Mural Project.’ The LocalBozo crew made our way to the popular downtown pop-up venue Openhouse Gallery for the 2012 launch of the spirit brand’s celebrated event.

As we made our way into the venue which had been uniquely personalized to suit the ‘Cuervo’ brand, we instantly spotted four separate artists at work- painting and drawing out unique pieces. This was a fantastic visual and equally impressive an idea on the brand’s part to kick off the contest with a live viewing of work in progress.’The Mural Project’ invites artists (over 21) to compete for the opportunity to win $15,000 by submitting an original painting inspired by their passion for Latin culture and the Jose Cuervo Tradicional bottle. The global brand will also donate $15,000 to a Latino arts and cultural organization on behalf of the winner and display the top ten murals in a public artist venue. Walking around the room, I watched each mural painter exude raw talent with these highly individualized pieces. Themes represented ranged from Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) skull imagery to some distinctive takes on Mayan temples.

Critically acclaimed actor Clifton Collins, Jr (Capote, Traffic) was on hand for the event, as he will serve on the judging board along with members of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC). Collins walked the space admiring each of the four pieces as they took shape and chatted with the respective artists. The progression of each piece was truly impressive whether you’re an art fan or not. Taking a blank canvas and transforming it into anything is a truly daunting task and each of these mural painters did a fantastic job, win or lose.

The ‘Mural Project’ launch event not only showed off some highly talented artists but also some delicious drinks by the brand itself. Expert mixologist bartenders were on hand pouring guests potent yet tasty cocktails. Event goers had the choice of a “Tradicional Black,” meshing Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Tequila and coffee liqueur, which was smooth with a great peppy caffeine laden finish, or a “Tradicional White,” with Cuervo Tradicional Blanco Tequila,  lime juice, simple syrup, and coconut water, easily my favorite of the night as it encapsulated the feeling of being by the beach on a south of the border vacation. It also didn’t hurt that I was sipping it while watching master painters at work.

Artists can participate in the “Jose Cuervo Tradicional Mural Project” contest by submitting a 150-word statement describing how they are inspired by Hispanic heritage, along with sending along their professional artwork portfolio by clicking here or emailing TheTradMuralProject@MKTG.com. The application period is now open, but if you’re interested don’t wait. The period for applying closes on Friday, August 31, 2012. Best of luck. We can’t wait to see what you come up with. Also, if you don’t mind we would love another cocktail please!

- Jay Rubin