Tile Mural Has Things Looking Up in Los Feliz

For years, a stairway wall in Los Feliz Heights was a target for taggers walking through the hillside neighborhood after concerts at the nearby Greek Theatre.

But the graffiti is no more, and what was once an eyesore has been transformed by residents into a mosaic mural, which was unveiled Saturday morning--the culmination of a years-long, $14,000 effort.

About 50 neighbors turned out for the dedication of the mural, which depicts the nearby Griffith Observatory, framed by a towering palm tree and a sunburst projecting rays of light across the Hollywood sign and an orange tree.

“This thing was just a horrendous mess to look at,” said Louis Mraz, the architect on the project. “Now we’ve got a chance to keep it clean. And hopefully, it’ll stay clean.”

That shouldn’t be a problem, because the mosaic was constructed from standard ceramic tiles that can be wiped clean with a sponge. Mraz had the idea to buy tiles from a manufacturer, rather than enlisting a contractor who might charge more than they could afford for a custom job.

The tiles were installed by workers from the Venice Community Housing Corp., a nonprofit group that offers construction jobs to at-risk youths. “The installation itself took less than two weeks, which was just magic,” said project coordinator Melinda Peters.

At Saturday’s dedication, Peters told of how she once got an auction item through National Public Radio that included a meeting with Adah Bakalinsky, co-author of “Stairway Walks in Los Angeles.” It was then that she realized she lived in the middle of a cultural landmark: four unconnected concrete stairways, built in 1924, that allow pedestrians to bypass Los Feliz Heights’ steep, twisting streets.

So Peters convened a group called Neighbors for the Stairways, which met informally to discuss problems and conduct maintenance on the stairways. Then in 1998, she won a $5,000 neighborhood matching grant from the city that gave legs to the mural project.

The effort seemed to galvanize residents, many of whom gave from their own pockets when the grant money was gone. “I think it brought neighbors together and gave them a purpose,” Peters said.

The mural is at a landing on the 79-step stairway that connects Bonvue Avenue to a tiny cul-de-sac called Bryn Mawr Road. Lee McVetta, the artist who designed the mural, said the tree-lined stairway provides a sort of respite for residents, who often use it to exercise or walk their dogs.

“You’re in the center of Los Angeles, and this almost provides a pastoral escape from the city,” he said. “There’s a sense of privacy. There’s a sense of community. Even though you can see the city skyline eight miles away, it’s like you stand here and you’re surrounded by nature.”

McVetta, a Web designer by day who paints in his spare time, seemed in awe of the size and permanency of his work.

“It’s a little more exciting doing something like a mural and having your name on it because hopefully it’ll be here 40, 50 years from now,” McVetta said. “A gallery exhibition is up for a couple of weeks, and then it’s gone. The only thing that people have that they remember is the invitation card. But this is a legacy, in a way. In a scary kind of way.”