Julio Mendoza, known in the art community as Juls @juls_arte_, is a proud Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) Alum, and graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School, and University of Northern Colorado. He is also a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores cultural identity, community, and social justice through a style he calls “Surrealismo Cultural” (Cultural Surrealism). Through murals, paintings, and digital illustrations, Julio creates art that inspires dialogue, builds connection, and reflects the communities he serves and represents.
Born in El Paso, Texas, raised in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and now rooted in Denver’s Westwood community, Julio’s identity has been deeply shaped by his Mexican roots, Latino culture, and experience as the child of immigrants. His parents’ dream for him to attend college, along with their sacrifices and persistence, became a foundation for his own path and continues to influence his work.
(Julio and his family at his UNC graduation)
Julio’s educational journey began at Abraham Lincoln High School and continued through Emily Griffith Technical College, the Community College of Denver, and the University of Northern Colorado, where he earned his degree in criminal justice. After working in the field for three years, he realized the work did not fulfill his passions. He left his office job to pursue art full time, teaching himself the techniques that would later define his large-scale murals and public art projects.
(Julio standing next to one of his murals and a photo of another piece at the Auraria Campus)
Looking back, Julio credits college with helping him build a strong foundation and values the connections he made along the way. Through perseverance, he applied for opportunities, took on smaller jobs while developing his craft, and eventually collaborated with local, national, and international partners including the Denver Broncos, Auraria Campus, UCHealth, and many others. Today, he sustains himself as a full-time artist and sees his journey as proof that students can build a career from their passions.
Although Julio did not learn about DSF until he was already in college, he remembers receiving the DSF Scholarship because he graduated from Denver Public Schools. That support helped reduce financial stress for him and his family and contributed to his ability to graduate from college without significant debt. “One of the biggest barriers to higher education is figuring out how to pay for it, and DSF was there to help me,” said Julio. He also recognizes the importance of DSF Future Centers and DSF College Advisors in helping students and families plan for college, access resources, and navigate the process in both English and Spanish.
When DSF commissioned Julio to create a one-of-a-kind piece for the DSF community and Lincoln, he was honored to return to the place where his journey began. His goal was to design artwork that reflected his own educational story while allowing every Lincoln student to see themselves in it. He wanted the mural to feel inclusive, relatable, and inspiring while encouraging students to pursue education, follow their passions, and remember that their paths do not have to be linear to be meaningful.
Every element in the painting was chosen with intention. The student holding a flower represents education, growth, achievement, and a future full of possibilities. The columbine and mountains honor Colorado identity, while plants throughout the piece reflect Latin American roots and the diversity of Lincoln students. A road where parents and students walk hand in hand symbolizes the journey from childhood to graduation and the essential role families play along the way. For Julio, this detail is especially personal, connecting to his parents’ sacrifices and support.
The monarch butterfly represents migration, transformation, diversity, and Denver’s immigrant communities which are many of the same communities reflected in Lincoln’s halls and supported by DSF Future Centers. At the center of the piece, graduation caps read “Futuro Sin Límites,” or “Future Without Limits,” representing the possibilities created through education, passion, and opportunities.
(Futuro Sin Limites, Julio’s mural that is being painted at Lincoln High School)
For Julio, “Futuro Sin Límites” is a full-circle moment: from Lincoln student to DSF Scholar, and now from DSF alum to professional artist returning to leave a lasting legacy where his dreams began. Through the mural, he hopes to encourage students to follow their dreams, use the resources available through DSF, and imagine opportunities they may not yet see for themselves.
Stay tuned for an exciting announcement highlighting Julio’s return to Lincoln, where he is painting a mural in front of the DSF Future Center. Every year, DSF collaborates with a DSF alum artist, but this year the mural will mark the beginning of a celebration honoring DSF’s 20 years of impact and the students, families, DSF Scholars and Alumni, and communities whose futures continue to grow through opportunities, resources, and the tools to reach their dreams.
