Newly Installed Art Pays Tribute to Firefighters Who Risk Their Lives for their Community

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department and the Arts & Cultural Commission invite everyone to the dedication of the ceramic mural ‘Stay Together, Breathe’ by Jerimiah Heye. The ceremony will take place on Monday, July 23, at 9 a.m. at Fire Station No. 18, located at 6226 Ayers Street.

‘Stay Together, Breathe’ is a life-sized 11.5-foot-high by 8-foot-wide ceramic mosaic composition that depicts a lone firefighter in full gear standing before the flames. Heye, a ceramic tile mural artist, firefighter, and paramedic living in San Antonio, reflects in his work the courage that ripples through the firefighter’s mind and body at the moment before they enter danger. “This public art piece illustrates the incredible bravery and sacrifice of firefighters as they face and battle fires in our community,” said Shelly Rios, staff liaison for the Corpus Christi Arts & Cultural Commission.

The artist worked closely with Fire Chief Robert Rocha and personnel at Fire Station No. 18. This public art project consists of three separate mosaics. The firefighter in the mural installed on the front of the building is dressed in local Corpus Christi regalia, and the two smaller 3.5-foot by 3.5-foot mosaics on the garage side of the station represent Corpus Christi firefighter patches.

The funding for the sculpture was made available through the City’s Percent for Art Ordinance which sets aside 1.25% of qualifying capital construction project costs for public art. 

Reasonable accommodations are provided upon request and in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For assistance or to request a reasonable accommodation, please call (361) 826-3460 at least 48 hours in advance.

For more information, call the Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department at (361) 826-3460 or visit www.ccparkandrec.com. We invite everyone to Live. Learn. Play!