When Modesto owner Ozzie Fernandez and designer Anne McCanless began dreaming up the interiors for the Mexican restaurant’s expansion, the duo enlisted the help of Ann Connelly Fine Art to help bring their vision to life.

“They came to the gallery with the idea to do an Aztec warrior-inspired piece,” says Chelsea Norris, co-director at Ann Connelly Fine Art. “I showed them a large Japanese warrior piece by Demond Matsuo and suggested the artist may be able to transform an existing piece to fit the cultural vernacular of Modesto.”

Local artist Matsuo was up for the challenge, creating a large-scale collage art piece, complete with imagery relevant to Aztec culture. Before starting a piece, Matsuo thoughtfully sets aside time for research on his subject, spending hours in the library becoming acquainted with his topic.

“The more research, the more feeling behind a piece,” Matsuo explains. “Ideas can become deeper with symbolism. People may not be able to recognize the symbolic imagery, but they can intuitively feel it.”

Now, patrons at the newly expanded Modesto can delve into Aztec culture through Matsuo’s work. The piece adds depth and meaning to the space, enhancing McCanless’s overall design with each symbolic detail, from the feathers, which are a homage to hummingbirds, the Aztec symbol for the soul, to the vibrant colors, which symbolize divinity in Aztec and  larger Central American folklore.

“This was an incredible, totally local, collaborative effort that came out beautifully,” Norris says.