ART IS GOOD FOR YOU

Murals of La Jolla 7777 Girard Avenue, La Jolla, California Completed 2023

7777 Girard Avenue at Silverado Street Photo by Philipp Scholz Rittermann

This 15 x 100 feet, hand-painted mural is a commission from Murals of La Jolla. Completed in 2023, ART IS GOOD FOR YOU is located at the downtown intersection of Girard Avenue and Silverado Street where it joins fifteen additional, outdoor works “by a roster of internationally renowned artists.”

Inspiration for the project came from a small, empty, discarded box of Atomic Fireballs candy I found on the sidewalk outside my Columbus, Ohio, studio. Inside the flap to the box was a printed message advising, “Candy is delicious food. Eat some every day.” Soon afterwards, I made a set of cards reading, “ART IS GOOD FOR YOU. MAKE SOME EVERY DAY,” to give to my students at OSU. This same message is also painted on an exterior wall of my art studio (aka the ART MARKET™) where its become a recognized neighborhood landmark.

Concept sketch

Postcard available upon request

Related reading Murals of La Jolla New Mural in La Jolla Takes a Stance on Benefits of Public Art, by Ashley Mackin-Solomon in La Jolla Light.