ART IS GOOD FOR YOU
Murals of La Jolla 7777 Girard Avenue from Silverado Street, La Jolla, California, Completed 2023
Photo by Philipp Scholz Rittermann
This 15 x 100 feet, hand-painted mural is a commission from Murals of La Jolla. Completed in 2023, ART IS GOOD FOR YOU is located at the downtown intersection of Silverado Street and Girard Avenue where it joins fifteen additional, outdoor works “by a roster of internationally renowned artists.”
Inspiration for the project came from a small, empty, discarded box of Atomic Fireballs candy I found on the sidewalk outside my Columbus, Ohio, studio. Inside the flap to the box was a message, in red ink, suggesting “Candy is delicious food. Eat some every day.” Soon afterwards, I printed a set of cards reading, “ART IS GOOD FOR YOU. MAKE SOME EVERY DAY,” to give to my students at OSU. Another version of this message is painted on an exterior wall of my art studio (aka the ART MKT) where it’s a recognized neighborhood landmark.
Concept sketch
Postcard available upon request
Related reading Murals of La Jolla New Mural in La Jolla Takes a Stance on Benefits of Public Art, by Ashley Mackin-Solomon in La Jolla Light.