Under busy freeway underpasses near Logan Heights, new, colorful murals are on the way.
A group of volunteers and artists Saturday morning descended on a parking lot on Imperial Avenue to begin painting several murals below Interstate 5 and state Route 15.
The underpasses, in Sherman Heights and Stockton, are likely not the favorite to drive through for the greater Logan Heights community. Under I-5 on Saturday, there were homeless people sleeping in tents and trash strewn everywhere. The site under state Route 15 was sprayed with graffiti, and also had a lot of trash.
The mural project was led by the Logan Heights Community Development Corp., a nonprofit that funds and promotes improvements in the area. It was funded by a state grant and several government agencies were partners, including the California Department of Transportation, the city and the San Diego Association of Governments.
“A lot don’t get done in Logan (Heights),” said Monte Jones, CEO of the Logan Heights CDC, to a crowd of roughly 75 volunteers and artists. “That changes today.”
The project took roughly four years to get going. It took time to interview people in the area about what they wanted and get approvals for the murals, which will celebrate the past, present and future of Logan Heights. More than a dozen local artists participated in the project’s design.
Saturday’s event was an opportunity for members of the community to get cups of yellow, green, brown and red paint and start work on the mural — with help from artists. It was a jovial atmosphere with a DJ playing dance music, the smell of Mexican food from local caterer Tamales Brenda’s in the air and the spectacle of Calpulli Mexihca, an Aztec dance group.
Artist Kim Phillips-Pea, known for her work with the Southeast Art Team, said she and the other artists went to great lengths to reflect the history, and future, of Logan Heights.
The murals start with the indigenous Kumeyaay people, depict big parts of the past like the history of Black businesses on Imperial Avenue and a celebration of Latino culture in the area, and end with an aspirational look to the future with a spaceship.
“This is about storytelling,” said Phillips-Pea. “It’s more than just beautiful artwork. There’s a story behind it.”
Francia Pinillos and Leslie Monroy paint during a community mural painting event. The mural will later be installed at nearby underpasses under State route 15 and Interstate 5. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Containers filled with paint sit on a table Saturday to be used on murals for the Logan Heights area. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Julliette Peñaloza paints on a mural Saturday with other community members in Logan Heights. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The murals will later be installed at nearby underpasses under State route 15 and Interstate 5. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
People paint on a mural in Logan Heights on Saturday. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Members of Calpulli Mexihca give a blessing at a mural event Saturday hosted by the Logan Heights Community Development Corporation. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Show Caption
1 of 6
Francia Pinillos and Leslie Monroy paint during a community mural painting event. The mural will later be installed at nearby underpasses under State route 15 and Interstate 5. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Hard at work on a part of the mural depicting the sun, 10-year-old Lily May Heines of southeastern San Diego was brushing in large sections with her cup of yellow paint. She said she chose yellow because it is “joyful and (represents) happiness.”
All of the volunteers’ work will become part of the permanent installation under I-5. Organizers used a flexible material called polytab that will be stuck to the underpass using specialized adhesives and protective finishes. The murals on state Route 15 will be painted directly on pillars by the artists.
The idea behind the Clean California Initiative grant, which helped pay for the mural, is to beautify public spaces, roads, pathways and transit centers. A rough timeline is for the project to be done over the next six weeks.
Christian Cormier, general manager of nearby Shepherds Coffee Co., said he was thrilled to see a positive change in the community. His store was providing free lemonade and iced coffee at the painting event.
“I love to see arts and culture coming back to the community,” he said. “I feel like the neighborhood is coming alive.”