For the latest public art installation along and near Rosecrans Street, the Point Loma Association went big.
On Sept. 20, a new mural by local artist Sarah Stieber and 15 painted utility boxes were unveiled at a community gathering. The PLA fundraised and paid for the commissioning of these works.
“Art is important in Point Loma, and the whole mission of PLA is to beautify the area … so we believe artwork is a way to beautify our local community,” said PLA board member Lisa Bolger. “We want to bring the community together.”
PLA board chair Jeff Bolster added that public art “does more than make a place beautiful, at a time when so much of our culture can feel divided, art gives us something positive to share.”
Artist Sarah Stieber, Point Loma Association board chair Jeff Bolster and past chair Beth Roach at the unveiling of Stieber’s mural. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
The wall-sized mural, called “Breathing Room,” depicts a woman in a flowing yellow dress and checkered Vans shoes swimming underwater. It is located on the side of a building at 1053 Rosecrans St. Breathing Room is the second Stieber mural the PLA has commissioned in recent years, the first being on the side of the The Monsaraz Hotel in Point Loma.
Stieber said when it came to deciding on the mural image she likes to “scope out” the neighborhood in which it would be placed to better understand “the vibe” that needs to be conveyed.
In speaking with residents and local businesses, she said, “It became very clear to me that you all live in the greatest place in San Diego and we needed to create a mural that celebrated the coastal, laid-back energy of this beautiful community.”
Meeting that goal, past PLA president Beth Roach described the mural as “uplifting” and said it “reflects the spirit of Point Loma (which is) casual but lively.”
Bolger added that she “couldn’t be happier” with how the mural turned out.
Going forward, the PLA has committed to commissioning one mural per year, at sites and with artists to be determined.
The painting of the utility boxes was timed so they would also be complete for the mural unveiling and ceremony, so guests could take a self-guided walk around the block to see all 16 new pieces. A map of the recently painted mural and locations of painted utility boxes can soon be found at pointloma.org
Painted utility boxes were unveiled Sept. 20 as part of a Point Loma Association effort to add public art to the Peninsula area. (Ashley Mackin-Solomon)
Roach explained that the PLA had commissioned artists to paint utility boxes in the past, but this year, “We had the opportunity to make a big impact by doing 15 utility boxes … all at once, around Cabrillo Elementary School and the Cabrillo Recreation Center.”
She said this was to “liven the environment and bring a little bit of joy” to the area. The utility boxes in front of the elementary school are themed “exploring” in honor of the school mascot, the Exceptional Explorers. The boxes around the recreation center are themed “in bloom,” Roach said, because “it speaks to the children and the neighborhood being in bloom.”
The new pieces add to PLA’s growing public art collection throughout the Peninsula area and has been part of the organization’s ongoing beautification efforts since its founding in 1961.