The Color of Renewal

A splash of color has been added to downtown Long Beach by 12 local artists who have painted boarded-up storefronts with scenes of jazz musicians, children and abstract designs.

The project, sponsored by the Downtown Long Beach Associates and the city Redevelopment Agency, has given the 10 vacant storefronts new life as they wait for seismic upgrading and restoration of their facades.

Over a two-week period, the artists turned blank, bleak storefronts into works of art at Pine Avenue between 1st and 7th streets and on Broadway at the Promenade.

“Without the murals, people see boarded-up storefronts as failed businesses. We want them to see the future sites of exciting new businesses,” said Pat Phillips, director of public relations for the Downtown Long Beach Associates.

Each mural was designed to communicate a message from the artist to the community. Employees from the Conservation Corps of Long Beach, a work program for low-income youth, applied a white base coat to the boards before the artists started painting July 10.

During the two weeks that the murals were being painted, people visited the sites and watched as the explosions of colors, images, characters and messages took shape. Some even videotaped the work.

“The murals are inspirational and positive. They make everything seem happier, and this is especially good for an area like downtown Long Beach, where the economy is poor,” said Kory Vence, who watched the progress of the murals each day.

Heather Green, mural arts coordinator for Long Beach, participated in the project and shared her mural space with several youths.

“I’m empowering youth to have a statement down here, to take pride in the city and to show something positive,” Green said.

The artists were selected through the Public Corporation for the Arts in Long Beach. Besides Green, they are Jill Gilman, Joseph Giri, Jen Grey, Mayde Herberg, Norm Looney, Karena Massengill, Elliot Pinkney, Jorge Sicre, Jayne Whitworth, Keith Williams and Ben Valenzuela.

Materials and small stipends for the artists were paid for by the Redevelopment Streetscape Program of Long Beach.

A clear finishing coat will be applied so that graffiti can be removed from the murals if necessary. The murals will be kept intact for four to six months, or until work is completed on the storefronts in January.