Artist.
It’s the first word that comes to mind for Lina Luna to describe her brother Pablo.
“He does murals, he does paintings, from the time he wakes up it’s all about art,” Lina said. “His art is everywhere all over town. He’s always painting, he’s always doing murals and he’s always collaborating with artists across the Valley.”
“Father,” “friend” and “brother” trailed behind “artist” for Lina as she talked about her brother, who has spent more than 25 years biking around Phoenix painting murals.
Pablo Luna checked into the hospital on Feb. 24 with undiagnosed diabetes. After his diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis, Luna suffered a heart attack and is now battling pneumonia. He is on a ventilator trying to breathe on his own — a swelling spinal injury has impaired his breathing, Lina said. He has been hospitalized for 13 days.
“He’s literally fighting for his life right now,” Lina said in tears. “But he is strong, and he’s fighting.”
More:Arts community rallies to support Pablo Luna
‘He’s basically the godfather of graffiti’
For 25 years Pablo Luna has colored the Valley with murals and art pieces.
“He’s basically the godfather of graffiti,” said Silvana Salcido Esparza, a longtime friend of Luna and chef and owner of Barrio Cafe in Phoenix. “Not only in Arizona, but also on the West Coast.”
Luna first walked into Barrio Cafe 19 years ago. Since then, Esparza has displayed and sold his work at her restaurant, she said.
A mural by Luna decorates the wall outside Barrio Cafe. It’s representative of his eclectic style, complete with Indigenous images and vibrant color, all inspired by his Chicano culture and experiences. Lowrider culture and music also influence his work.
No one knows how much work Luna will get done when he shows up to a mural site, Esparza said, because he’s the type of person who will pause to ask about your day or DJ music for his crew to enjoy.
“He’s the life of the party,” Lina said, laughing.
‘He’ll go out of his way without being asked’
Luna would give anyone the shirt off his back, his girlfriend Carissa Dominguez told the Republic on Feb. 28.
He always has been one to put others first, Lina echoed. She said one of her first memories as a child was Pablo defending her from a bobcat.
“He stopped me and he pushed me behind him and he said, ‘Just don’t look for a second. When I tell you to run, I want you to run back the way we came and I looked up and there was a bobcat on a ledge, and he said, ‘Go.’ He scared the cat and took off running after me and grabbed me and pulled me in.”
His selflessness hasn’t stopped, she said. When she was battling through illness, Pablo biked to her house with medicine, Lina said. He’s an artist, a friend, a father to three children, a brother and a friend to his community in the Valley.
“He’ll go out of his way without being asked to help them and support him,” Lina said. “Everyone knows Pablo.”
‘We are all rooting for you’
Dominguez started a GoFundMe on Feb. 26. It will help pay for medical bills, insulin, follow-up appointments and a place for Luna and Dominguez to live once Pablo is released from the hospital.
As of March 8, the GoFundMe has raised nearly $17,000 of its $20,000 goal. Family, friends and local artists and business leaders including Esparza and muralists Lalo Cota and Tato Caraveo have contributed money and shared news of Luna’s hospitalization.
Esparza has been selling Luna’s work at Barrio Cafe. To date, 10 paintings have been sold; five are left for sale. Esparza said it’s no surprise that so many people have rallied around Luna.
“What I’ve been doing every day is sending voice clips and what I tell him is, ‘We are all waiting for you, we are all rooting for you, we need you, and Phoenix cannot be the same with you, so you have to kick in buddy, you have to kick in,’” Esparza said.
Details: www.gofundme.com/f/pablos-health-and-new-home-fund. People can purchase Luna’s work at Barrio Cafe, 2814 N. 16th St., Phoenix. 11am-9pm Sunday-Thursday, 11am-10pm Saturday and Sunday, closed Monday. https://www.barriocafe.com.
Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram @sofia.krusmark.
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