Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1491557
8 4 G R A P H I C S P R O • J U N E 2 0 2 3 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M S O F T W A R E T O S U B S T R A T E | L O N W I N T E R S Blue Mustang Incorporating a Denver icon with a run of volleyball shirts A P P A R E L D E C O R A T I N G At 21 years old, Lon Winters was the production manager for Ocean Pacific and started his 30+ year career reclaiming screens. He's the president and founder of Colorado-based Graphic Elephants, an international consulting firm and apparel decoration studio specializing in screen printing technical advances, plant design, layout, troubleshooting, productivity, quality analysis, and complete apparel decorating solutions. Lon is also a presenter at GRAPHICS PRO EXPO (g-p-x.com). W hen you fly into Denver, it's hard to ignore the big blue horse that rears up in power and rebellion at the airport. e 32-foot-tall fiberglass sculpture towers over Denver International Airport's main highway in and out. Its eyes glow red with a menacing stare at the cars racing by. Us locals refer to this mighty equine as Blucifer. Some love it, some hate it, some love to hate it, and visitors are curious about it. Officially, the artwork's name is Mustang, and the piece is a point of pride for the airport. This f ierce blue mustang is kind of a protector of travelers and guards the air- port. Denver International Airport (DIA) is full of intrigue and rumor. ere are plenty of conspiracy theories. e horse seems very Colorado, yet it takes a hard left turn with the red eyes and the blue physique. New Mexico artist Luis Jiménez created the stallion that was his ultimate demise. Jimenez died in 2006, after a part of Mustang came loose and fell on his leg, severing an artery while he was working on it in his studio. Jiménez's studio later completed Mustang and installed it more than 15 years after it was commissioned in 2008. Those red eyes that people point to as evidence of Mustang's demonic nature are actually a tribute to the artist's father, who worked in a neon sign shop. Mustang is defi- ant and an expression of identity, having a place, standing strong, being fiery, and being gigantic. e striking blue color and glowing red eyes were controversial from the start. ere was even a Facebook page called DIA's Heinous Blue Mustang Has Got to Go. e sculpture has not only withstood public scrutiny, but it's also had to hold up against Colorado's intense weather and extreme environment. Incorporating Mustang Speaking of Colorado weather, it's begin- ning to warm up a bit, so time to get the outdoor spring grass volleyball leagues going again. So, our most recent project for Volleyball of the Rockies (VOTR) was a design featuring, wait for it … Blucifer/ Mustang. e big blue Mustang's head under the type solution for VOTR next to the Colorado flag C with a golden volleyball for the sun. Clever, eh? Probably couldn't say Colorado