FULLERTON : Mural-Painter Has New Design In Store

After her first effort was obliterated with a coat of peach paint, a store owner says she will try again to paint an artistic mural in front of her avant-garde clothing, art and jewelry store.

But this time, she said, she’s getting everyone’s permission first.

Theresa Wright, 23, opened her Get Lost store on Harbor Boulevard this summer, complete with murals depicting African masks, flowers, spiders, skulls and other figures. But once city officials got wind of the design, they asked her to remove it.

An agreement between the building’s owners and the city calls for the building to be painted one color. It was the opinion of city officials that the mural violated that agreement, Redevelopment Agency Manager Terry Galvin said.

Wright was prepared Thursday to ask the city Redevelopment Design Review to let her keep the murals. But early Sunday morning before she opened the store, building owners Geni and Anthony Ugolini had the murals painted peach.

Anthony Ugolini said the murals were removed because they violated Wright’s lease and could have jeopardized a $15,000 loan he has taken out with the city to help pay for renovations.

“Theresa Wright is a lovely lady and she runs a good business, but a contract is a contract,” Ugolini said.

After meeting with the Redevelopment Design Review Committee, Wright said she plans to try again.

Committee members said they are not opposed to the paintings but want to review and approve the design of any future murals.

“If you go through proper channels, we will review them,” committee Chairman Steve Rose said.