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• Are You a Local Artist? Can You Make the Concrete Cylinders Out on the Samoa Peninsula Beautiful? Get Paid!

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Press release from the Peninsula Community Collaborative:

Nine new murals have been painted on the Samoa Peninsula this summer by nine different talented local artists. The murals are located throughout Manila, Samoa and Fairhaven, and are painted on concrete water vaults owned and maintained by Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD). The vaults were regularly tagged with obscenities in the past. Community members with the Peninsula Community Collaborative (PCC) noted that the previous condition of the vaults contributed to blight and a negative physical appearance in their neighborhoods. The PCC and HBMWD worked together to invite and select artists to paint the vaults, and received more than 30 applications. The selected artists who completed murals this summer with a stipend from the PCC are: Charli Murphy, Patricia Sennott, Ben Goulart, Mir de Silva, Sheala Dunlap, Laci Dane, James Rose, Julio Valdez, and Lucas Thornton. These artists were chosen because they proposed a diversity of artistic styles, subject matter, and themes that were perfectly suited to the Samoa Peninsula.

The murals have transformed the vaults into exciting and beautiful public art. HBMWD Board Chairperson Sheri Woo said “HBMWD is pleased to be part of the Peninsula beautification process! Thanks to the artists, the Peninsula Community Collaborative, and RCAA for giving us the opportunity to show our community support.” Residents of the Samoa Peninsula have excitedly tracked the creation of the murals, and visitors regularly slow to enjoy them. The murals have added color, interest and delight to the everyday lives of many who live, work and recreate on the Peninsula.

The PCC has organized an Artist’s Reception and Art Show to recognize the participating artists on Saturday, September 7th. It will take place at the Friends of the Dunes Humboldt Coastal Nature Center at 220 Stamps Lane in Manila from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. This event is free to the public and all are encouraged to attend! There will be hearty snacks, beverages for all ages, and good company. Additionally, some participating artists will bring artwork for sale, so please come check out what they have to offer! For more information about the reception, please check out the PCC on Facebook at this link or contact Carla at 707-269-2055 or carla@nrsrcaa.org.

The PCC and its partners wish to warmly thank all of the artists who applied and participated, the Friends of the Dunes for their support of this project and use of their venue for the reception, Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, the Bureau of Land Management and the St. Joseph Health Community Partnership Fund for supporting the work of the PCC to increase the places throughout the Samoa Peninsula where people feel safe, welcome and proud of their community.

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Map of vault art installations on the Samoa Peninsula. Data courtesy PCC.