Palisades most famous mural is in need of restoration.
Photo: MURALCOLORS
Cathy Salser spoke to the Pacific Palisades Community Council on July 25 about the mural on Temescal Canyon Road that needs restoration.
Very few pieces of art are viewed by as many people as the almost 500 ft. mural near Palisades High School.
In 1983, two Palisades High School students Kat Kozik and David Strauch received permission from the City of Los Angeles to paint a mural of the evolving history of Pacific Palisades, starting with its first people. Fellow students Cathy Salser and Jennifer Wilsey joined them.
The original artists were captured in a 1983 story.
The foursome and then Kozik on her own, painted the mural from 1983 to 1990. The mural focuses on the land, animals and first people, and then shifts to a scene depicting the Milky Way, the cosmos and a trickster coyote leaping into the great beyond.
The Temescal Canyon Association sponsored a team of artists in 2002 and 2008, that included Terri Bromberg, Shirley Coleman and Merry Scanlon Ealy to restore portions of the mural.
Now, the entire mural needs restoration. Anyone walking by the wall can see peeling, some areas of paint gone and efflorescence under the coating.
Since the mural is copyright, Salser, who still lives in Pacific Palisades was contacted in October, and she was able to reach out to the original artist Kat Kozik, who now lives in the Bay Area. Cindy Simon, an artist, and a member of the Pacific Palisades Community Council for that area was brought in on the project.
They met with representatives from MuralColors, who repair artwork for a detailed assessment of the Temescal Mural.
At that meeting Kozik and Salser were given kudos by MuralColors co-founder Carlos Rogel for the original painting because the method that they employed was deemed the reason that the mural had weathered as long and as successfully as it had.
The entire length of the mural needs some care.
Photo: MURALCOLORS
Now a mural wash and wet steam will be needed to remove the degraded urethane coating that was originally placed over the painting. The substrate will be repaired, and paint film will be reattached with mural gel.
The MuralColors team will repair peeling paint and areas of water permeation along fissures. That involves peeling back the paint film, cleaning the wall beneath and adhering the original paint film with a permanent gel adhesive.
Contemporary indigenous artists who could collaborate with Kozik and Salser, include Tongva artists River Garza and Mercedes Dorame.
Salser will support the artistic team’s focus on developing community engagement components of the project. The team is envisioning a panel with digital links inviting viewers of all ages to actively reflect on their own connection to the land and learn more about indigenous culture, nature conservation, local history and similar topics.
It is planned that two paid youth apprenticeships for up to four weeks will be available, and in the process those young artists will learn about mural restoration through MuralColors.
Up to three community volunteer days are planned and will be open to locals of all ages and abilities. MuralColors will facilitate and provide guidance to volunteers, including all materials.
The techniques and supplies that MuralColors use are high strength UV absorbers and an OverCoat that protects against tagging or overpainting and creates a vibrant anti-glare finish.
The cost to refurbish the mural, plus all the supplies will be nearly $100,000.
There will be a presentation on Wednesday, August 14, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and it will be recorded.
Here is the Zoom Link:
https://zoom.us/j/5056131826?pwd=Rmw0ckYwaFlPLzBYaGl1c053NnhuZz09
Password: awbw.
Salser already has pledges for nearly $40,000 and would welcome more. To make a pledge or to share thoughts or questions, community members are welcome to email Cathy Salser at csalser@awbw.org. Donations will be tax-deductible.
Once a mural is restored, the vibrancy of the paint is once again visible.
Photo: MURALCOLORS
This is fantastic news ! Temescal Canyon Parkway and these murals are a unique treasure that we Palisadians need to protect and enhance all-year around. This is an exciting project for those of us who love all our Palisades murals. Talk about a community amenity ! I hope the Temescal Canyon Association, the Palisades Historical Society, P.R.I.D.E. and our other local non-profit groups take a lead in fund-raising for this effort. I know every single local citizen will be thrilled to see the outcome.
Maybe an effort may arise to add more murals along the blank concrete walls along the sidewalk across from Pali High. Wouldn’t THAT look cool !
I love those murals and wish we had more. I am so glad that they will be restored. I
think it especially wonderful that they were the project of local students.
Happy to give support to this effort. Glad you posted about it because I had not
heard about it otherwise.