Welcome to Wells Park, City of El Cajon

This public mural was commissioned by the City of El Cajon (City) Parks and Recreation Department. The mural was designed to provide a cross-generational welcoming feeling to all Wells Park users. The mural welcomes visitors in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Stylized mountains of El Cajon are depicted, as well as the well known local parrots that nest each night in front of El Cajon’s City Hall. City residents, and well as City staff, started this mural off as part of the 92020 community day.

Re:Border Binational Conference Art - The Water We Share

The Water We Share, 6’ x 6’, Acrylic Paint

Collaborators: Arts Alive SDSU and SDSU MFA Graduate Students Juan Cabrera, Meredith Habermann, Kitty Nix, Zac Keane, and Sage Serrano.

This painting was commissioned by Arts Alive SDSU and San Diego State University’s (SDSU) president, Adela de La Torre, for the November 2019 Re:Border binational conference between SDSU and UABC in Tijuana, Mexico. SDSU students of the Chicano/a Studies and Engineering departments were asked to attend a community input session. During this meeting held within the Arts Alive SDSU headquarters, student shared thoughts and ideas pertaining to the Re:Border conference theme “the water we share”. Based on the input received, a design was developed to be used for the conference main art and photo backdrop. The painting portion of this project was completed with the help of a team of SDSU MFA graduate candidates. The painting currently resides in the president’s art collection at SDSU.

El Cajon Mural - Alley Cat Arts & Sophie's Center

This project was commissioned by St. Madeleline Sophie’s Center and Alley Cat Art to bring something bright and colorful to the City of El Cajon community members. The title of this mural Hope for the Flowers was inspired by the book written by Trina Paulus who said "In some way we

all hope that life can be transformed from whatever dreary aspect we are experiencing or sadness." The mural calls attention to the bright and beautiful flora and fauna around us as a way to transform the space and give a sense of joy to the residents, workers, and visitors of El Cajon.

Grander Junior High/ A Reason To Survive Design Challenge

This design challenge was co-taught with Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary. Over the course of 16 weeks, students were taught tools and techniques to identify site issues and develop creative design solutions to address these issues. This project resulted in two murals with mosaics - The Ocean Mural was conceptualized to increase awareness of oceanic health. The Graduation mural was painted as an interactive mural to engage students and provide a colorful backdrop to honor those students going through commencement.

Collaborator: Studio Nectary

SDSU Identity Centers Unity Mural

This mural was designed and facilitated by Kline Swonger as part of an Arts Alive SDSU collaborative project with the San Diego State University identity centers. This project was envisioned by Nenechi Nenachi from the SDSU Retroact Club, as a way to create a mural that provided a sense of unity and empowerment between the SDSU identity centers . The event was sponsored by Arts Alive SDSU. Students from the identity centers as well as he larger student body, were invited to assist in painting the mural. Upon completion, the mural

was divided into four sections which now live in SDSU’s Black Resource Center, Pride Center, Women’s Resource Center, and the Center for Intercultural Relations. The students of the identity centers on campus provided imagery, historical figures, and text that they felt was representative of them and empowered the communities they served. Click here for more information about this project.

Collaborators: Nenechi Nenachi with SDSU Retroact Club and Arts Alive SDSU

West African Caribbean Food Market

This was a collaborative placekeeping project that was a part of the healthy food and neighborhoods initiative. After a series of community input sessions and design iterations by SDSU Graphic Design Students, community members were invited to participate in a build day to repaint and construct planters for this African Caribbean Food Market. This project focus was to promote community, sense of place, and healthy food options within the City Heights neighborhood.

My roll was to prepare and facilitate the mural and painting portions of the interior and exterior spaces for this project.

Collaborators: Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary, UC San Diego Center for Community Health, Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting, Brennan Hubbell, and San Diego State Graphic Design students.

OLD TOWN ACADEMY SCHOOL

This mural was commissioned by the Old Town Academy in concert with it’s butterfly way station. It shows the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, as well as other butterflies.

Collaborators: Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting and Studio Nectary

Loma Portal Elementary School

This mural was commission by The Parents Foundation of Loma Portal Elementary School in Point Loma as a way to thank all the school donors. Each of the schools students, ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to Third grade, participated by putting their hand prints as part of the colorful leaves and roots of the tree.

Rema Halal Food Market - El Cajon

This was a collaborative placekeeping project that was a part of the healthy food and neighborhoods initiative. After a series of community input sessions and design iterations by SDSU Graphic Design Students, community members were invited to participate in a build day to repaint and construct planters for this market. This project focus was to promote community, sense of place, and healthy food options within the City of El Cajon. My role was to lead the painting portion of the placemaking activity.

Collaborators: Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary, UC San Diego Center for Community Health, Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting, and San Diego State Graphic Design students.

CDA PRESCHOOL THE PARKS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER - NATIONAL CITY

This was a collaborative project to enhance the education center for The Child Development Association Child Development Center Parks. My role in this projects was to paint 5 murals of varying sizes around the educational campus.

The Art Space mural design was developed by Nate Schnell.

Collaborators: Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary and Ilisa Goldman with Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting.