In its efforts to seek ways to reconnect people to San Diego’s namesake river, the San Diego River Park Foundation (SDRPF) will begin the first mural project to help raise awareness of the river’s resources and native wildlife.
Local artist Julia C.R. Gray was selected to design and oversee the painting, which will be located across from the 51-acre Mission Valley Preserve adjacent to the Morena/Linda Vista Trolley Station.
Gray has sent out a call to artists who are comfortable working with a grid and laying out the design. The mural will span 66 feet in width and reach 16 feet high.
Sketching and painting begins Friday, Jan. 19, and continues through Wednesday, Jan. 31. The community is encouraged to participate in the project, which will take place on Friars Road near Napa Street.
SDRPF community outreach specialist Kym Hunter said she met Julia last July through the San Diego Visual Artist Guild, and enjoyed her work, which Hunter described as “friendly art.”
Gray agreed that her work was a good match for the foundation, as it is very “nature oriented.” The mural design will feature a backdrop of the San Diego River and highlights 14 different local wildlife species.
“A lot of people don’t realize how close they are to the river,” Hunter said.
They also may not realize that San Diego County has more species in danger of extinction than any other county in the United States, including the San Diego Horned Lizard, which is of particular concern at the moment.
According to the San Diego Natural History Museum, the lizard is currently a Federal Special Concern species and a California Special Concern species, and is believed to be extinct in 45 percent of its original range in southern California.
Gray said the images of nature she paints are often chosen because they are endangered, adding that she hopes to raise awareness of the plight of these creatures and to inspire others to think about what is happening to the planet.
“I want to share the beauty and magic of creatures that are disappearing all over the world,” she said.
The mural is a project of the SDRPF’s Community Enhancement Program and is supported by local corporate partners as well as Councilwoman Donna Frye’s office and the Metropolitan Transit System, explained Hunter.
The project is part of the San Diego River Park’s plan to establish a river-long park, while restoring and enhancing the river and its watershed, addressing flooding issues, providing needed community facilities and opportunities to learn about the region’s rich history, encouraging stewardship of the environment, and improving the lives of those who live, work and play in the area.
The plan involves a 52-mile park that will stretch from the river’s headwaters near Julian, to the ocean outlet at Dog Beach, and includes building the river park and trail, protecting cultural and historical resources and providing public access to the river.
River Park Executive Director Rob Hutsel described the foundation’s efforts as a “string of pearls,” or a series of smaller projects “” such as the mural “” that would be completed piece by piece and contribute to the larger goal of improving the entire stretch of river.
“There is a lot of focus on Mission Valley at the moment,” Hutsel said. “Thousands of people drive by the [San Diego] River every day and don’t even realize it’s there.”
Another project set in the area is the continuation of the bike path that runs from Dog Beach to Pacific Highway. Hutsel said construction will begin in the fall to add another mile to the path, allowing bikers to ride from Mission Valley to the beach.
Regarding the mural, Hutsel declared it “a small but very important” pearl on the string. “It will bring attention to the clean-up of the river. Hopefully the more people that see people painting “” and having a good time doing it “” the more people will get involved.”
“We would love people with experience to come out, but everyone is welcome,” Hunter said.
Many volunteers have already committed to join in the painting, added Hunter, including school groups, local artists and individuals interested in enriching and beautifying Mission Valley. Among the supporters of the mural are REI, the outdoor adventure outfitter, and the Pacific Southwest Wildlife Arts “” even Frye will lend her artistic abilities on Saturday, Jan. 27.
Hutsel noted that the public benefit nonprofit organization depends upon the generosity of the community to continue this effort, and that there are events taking place near the river almost every weekend that need volunteers.
Gray, who currently serves as the vice president of the Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild, has her work featured at several galleries, including Rock Island Gallery on Coronado and others in Cambria, Santa Monica and Leucadia.
To volunteer for the mural project, call Hunter at (619) 297-7380.