On a crisp day in early November Porschia Denning began work on a mural at 128 Clarissa Avenue. Holding a paintbrush in one hand and a dirty hippy in the other, she tilts her head and gazes at the surface of the wall.
A passerby calls to her from a bike, “magnus opus!” She smiles in recognition of the praise and lowers herself gently to the sidewalk, placing her latte neatly beside her. She will spend the next several hours sitting on the pavement and painting.
On a crisp day in early November Porschia Denning began work on a mural at 128 Clarissa Avenue. Holding a paintbrush in one hand and a dirty hippy in the other, she tilts her head and gazes at the surface of the wall.
A passerby calls to her from a bike, “magnus opus!” She smiles in recognition of the praise and lowers herself gently to the sidewalk, placing her latte neatly beside her. She will spend the next several hours sitting on the pavement and painting.
Mike Hayes, United Airlines Pilot, commissioned the mural. As the proprietor of 128 Clarissa he recognized the necessity of the boundary wall but did not like the looks of it. I spoke with him about his wall and what prompted him to have a mural painted.
“The intersection of Clarissa and third Avenue is the busiest intersection in the city,” he said.” When you make that turn on third, you see a blank wall. This mural will rejuvenate this intersection, and hopefully inspire other home owners to start their own beautification projects”
Mike was really impressed with the intricate detail of Porschia’s work. He had seen many of her Catalina paintings, as well as the work she did on Crescent Ave last summer. He wanted an up and coming artist to reflect the spirit of his mural. Porschia was receptive to suggestions and ideas. Soon the two decided on a seascape to pay to tribute to the beauty of Catalina Island. When Mike and I discussed the mural he informed me that long ago there was a banning tree on the same spot the house sits. Native Americans used it as a gathering place. Mike also views 128 Clarissa as a gathering place.
place. The idea of having a mural on this wall is to start a community conversation about art and history.
The mural is a living work. This means that there is no fixed stop date. Over the course of the next year Mike and Porschia will continue expanding the design concept. This is a fluid interruptive method of mural painting that allows for more creativity.
The first subject of the mural was an intricate palm tree, leaves trailing around either side of the wall, lithe body gracing the edge of the wall. Working from a black and white computer print out, Porschia added two Dolphins, playfully arranged near the trailing leaves of the palm tree. The mural will be done with acrylic paint and sealed with a weather protective clear coat. More creatures will be added and possibly a banning tree to pay homage to the banning tree that once grew on the spot.
The afternoon sun begins to slant when Porschia stands up to inspect her work. She crosses the alley way and stands on the curb examining the dolphins with a critical inner eye. A group of visitors pass and ask if it is okay if they take a picture of the mural. She readily agrees. They ask for another with her in it. She smiles and steps in the frame of the photograph. The group of visitors thanks her and then shuffles off down the street, into the deeping shadows of the balmy winter afternoon.
