National City arts panel hears mural plan for Public Works building; staff to prepare budget for council

Members of the National City Public Arts Advisory Committee on April 22 heard a proposal from the Vision Culture Foundation to paint a two-sided mural on the city-owned Public Works building at 20 Fourth Street, a location proponents said could reduce recurring graffiti-removal costs and showcase local artists.

The committee did not take formal action on the mural proposal. Staff and proponents were asked to meet, finalize a budget and permitting plan, document the project, and return with materials for presentation to the City Council.

Ryan Johnson, who identifies himself as representing Vision Culture Foundation, said the organization seeks to use local artists for all work and to convert a frequently targeted wall into a community asset. "All of the art that we do in the community is done by artists that are born and raised in National City," Johnson said, adding that the group had been collaborating with National City staff and local artists for roughly a year and a half.

Artist David Castillo, who produced the design presented to the committee, described the two-sided composition as a localized timeline of National City life. Castillo said he used bright blues and magentas to echo harbor sunset reflections and included references to neighborhood assets such as Kimball Park, the trolley corridor and community centers. Castillo read a brief poem used in…