Art Glows in Buena Vista Underpass

"A dark and intimidating underpass on Buena Vista Avenue in Lemon Grove has been transformed with a large-scale mural. The project is one of the latest results of the San Diego Museum of Art's provocative Open Spaces program, which seeks to place public art in underserved neighborhoods. Funded by a $530,000 grant from the James Irvine Foundation, Open Spaces kicked off in Lincoln Park in 2013 and has since traveled to Logan Heights, Lemon Grove and National City." SDCityBeat.

One of Lauren's flowers is to the immediate left of the two people on the sidewalk. The mural is on both sides of the underpass with a combined length of over 200 feet. 

Lauren sat in on some of the first meetings with the City of Lemon Grove to discuss the mural and the possibility that she might be able to participate as one of the artists. After 6 to 9 months of silence, the call came in, "Lauren, your panels are ready to be picked up." I remember that day all too well. She thought the artists for the mural had long since been selected and she was passed over. After the shock had worn off we jumped in the car and headed for Bread & Salt Bakery and Art Gallery in San Diego to pick up her panels. Lauren, and I, were so excited we couldn't get there fast enough.

Lauren is a fantastic artist. She has painted and displayed her art all over the world but I don't believe she has ever painted anything larger than a 4 foot or 5 foot canvas. This, well, it is daunting. The 4 foot by 4 foot panels when assembled created a flower 16 feet wide by up to 20 feet high. It truly is amazing.

The afternoon of the day that we picked up the panels our condo, and I do mean the entire condo, was transformed into an artist's studio. Looking at the picture on the right reminds me of just how profoundly our living space had been transformed. Canvas panels were taped up on several walls and paint was everywhere. It was an experience I was honored to be a part of and I'm so proud of Lauren for her fearlessness in taking on such a monumental and overwhelming project. 

Miguel Angel Godoy created the original mock up of the mural and a small cadre of artists transferred the outlines of the flowers onto a canvas-like material which, once the painting on the panels was completed, the panels were installed on the walls of the underpass. Miguel's inspiration and determination was formidable.

I am only mentioning a few of the names of the all the people involved in this project. Irma Esquivias worked with the San Diego Museum of Art, about a dozen artists painted the flowers and even Miguel's father was on site for a substantial period helping out wherever help was needed.

Do you find this story inspiring? Do you wish that you could be a part of something like this? You can. Projects like this are planned and executed all over the country every day. And who knows, maybe  the planning for another mural will be in the works, one that you can be a part of, when you RetireInSanDiego.