LOTHIAN SUCCESSFULLY PITCHES PUBLIC ARTS FOCUS ON MURALS IN LA MESA

By Elijah McKee

Photos:  Councilmember Lothian envisions murals, such as this one projected onto a currently blank building wall.

February 12, 2022 (La Mesa) — Ever drive through La Mesa and notice the blank gray side of a building? Councilmember Laura Lothian sure does, and she’d like to change what people see. 

On Tuesday night, Councilmember Lothian proposed a La Mesa public murals endeavor to be a focus of the newly formed Arts and Culture Commission. She said she drew inspiration from interactive murals in Nashville, as well as the nearby non-profit Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project.

“I think the best way to manifest [the Commission’s] existence would be to move forward with a murals project in La Mesa,” said Councilmember Lothian during the virtual City Council meeting on Feb. 8. 

The pitch was unanimously approved by the City Council, with support from Mayor Mark Arapostathis to send the idea to city staff for further study.

“I posted a video on social media yesterday,” continued Councilmember Lothian. “I guess thousands of people have been looking at it and they think this would be an incredible idea for La Mesa.”

The fine-tuning of the project will be ironed out by the Arts and Culture Commission. The Commission will report back to the City Council on how to best source buildings and artists for La Mesa artworks, determine the process for selection and implementation, and consider how best to raise funds to support the effort.

Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project estimates that each square foot of mural costs $35, The discussion on Tuesday included the idea that individuals could underwrite smaller artworks with this kind of cost breakdown, in a way to engage the La Mesa community.

“This is a happy topic,” concluded Councilmember Lothian. “There’s so much history that we could make murals of.”