Mariah Colunga next to the 2026 War of the Walls winner!
Meet the 2026 Artist
Mariah Colunga – Billings Skyview High School – WINNER 2026
Congratulations to Mariah Colunga from Billings Skyview High School. She is this year’s winner of the War of the Walls Mural Competition! 
Mariah joined the mural contest to challenge herself and put her artistic skills to the test in a new and exciting way. Her inspiration came from her life experiences, especially sports. As a wrestler, she connected deeply with the motto, “Loyal to royal, you don’t lose, you learn,” which helped shape the meaning behind her artwork. She incorporated the idea of a knight—someone who doesn’t back down and is always striving to grow because it reflected both her mindset and the message she wanted to portray.
Mariah credits her family, especially her grandpa, as a major influence in her art journey. She also gives a big shoutout to her close friend Kelly, who supported her throughout the entire painting process and stood by her as a constant creative partner.
Her artistic style is driven by emotion and in-the-moment feeling rather than reference images. She describes this approach as both a strength and a challenge, saying, “It’s a good thing as much as it’s a bad thing,” because it pushes her to be creative while also testing her limits. Mariah plans to continue painting in the future and hopes to pursue art as a career, with an interest in cultural arts after high school.
She is the daughter of Melissa and Rapheal Colunga. Mariah is a 17-year-old senior excited to continue growing her passion beyond graduation.
Be sure to check out Mariah’s incredible mural, along with all of the amazing murals from this year’s competition if you haven’t already.
