Salt Lake Community College's Jordan Campus has a striking new landmark—one that rises from an unexpected place. In partnership with the City of West Jordan, SLCC has transformed a massive city‑owned water tank near the campus entrance into a vibrant work of public art. The mural, created by international muralist and SLCC graduate Beto Conejo, is titled Vida Del Valle — Life of the Valley. It's a sweeping, geometric celebration of water as a source of life, a reminder of water rights and water protectors, and a call to appreciate the natural world for the sake of future generations.
"We have a past, a present, and a future worth fighting for, and protecting our water is the root of it all because water is life," Conejo explains. "The flowers blooming before and after are the things that inspire us to protect water, and the things that will continue to inspire us to protect that source of life, even as the life forms change through time."
Painting the towering, curved tank was a challenge unlike any he had faced. "Executing these precise geometric shapes across a towering, curved cylinder on uneven ground was a new challenge for me," he says. Some nights, he painted until sunrise. The mural, sponsored and funded by SLCC, is part of a citywide effort to bring more public art and creativity into West Jordan. This collaboration reflects the college's commitment to surrounding communities and access to the arts.
"SLCC feels it is important to have space dedicated to sharing art with all," says James Walton, program manager of SLCC's galleries and art. "Art prompts people to slow down, reflect and wonder. There is often a story there for all of us, as there is in this mural so full of gorgeous colors, reminding us of the importance of water in making our state a sustainable place to live."
A Bruin's Journey: From Uncertainty to Purpose
For Conejo, the mural is more than a public artwork; it's a reflection of his own journey. Born with a passion for drawing and street art, he began creating murals at 13. But after high school, despite being an honor‑roll student and athlete, he wasn't sure what came next. "I knew if I didn't figure out how to go to college at that point, life wouldn't give me another chance and I'd end up working a 60‑hour‑a‑week construction job," he says.
A one‑semester scholarship from the SOMOS Foundation and guidance from the University of Utah's Dream Center pointed him toward SLCC. "I remember receiving SLCC's acceptance and information package and it hit me, emotionally. I thought, damn, I made it into college; this is going to change my life."
On campus, Conejo found his footing by asking questions, lots of them. He spent time near the Student Success office, where staff eventually came to know him well. Two mentors became like family, connecting him with resources such as the food pantry, counseling services, a campus job, and the Bruin Dream Scholarship. "I wouldn't be here without them," he says.
His path wasn't linear. COVID disrupted his academic progress, and he took three years off. During that time, mural painting became his livelihood. While responding to commissions, he immersed himself in entrepreneurial programs at SLCC's Miller Campus to build a business around his art. "My art career spiraled up," he says.
Eventually, Conejo returned to SLCC and completed his associate's degree in sociology in 2025 — a field that broadened his worldview and deepened his commitment to community. Today, he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in business and finance at Weber State University.
"I'm trying to bury the hatchet when it comes to poverty, end that cycle, for me, for my cousins and nephews and my future kids. I want them to see the value of education and that if I can do it, they can too."
Read about alumnus Beto Conejo on SLCC's Then and Now Gallery.