Portola Mural Restoration

In 1992, a mural called Portola’s Sacred Expedition Community Mural was painted by the Los Osos Community Organization (LOCO) on the back wall of the Los Osos Liquors and Market building at 2004 10th Street. The mural was still in surprisingly good condition considering its 24 years of exposure to the elements. However, the wall included a six-inch wood fascia near the top that had not done as well and had rotted in places, with the paint peeling away.                                                                                            

In Spring 2016, building owner Tom Kridi got in touch with Celebrate Los Osos and generously offered to help support the cost of restoring the mural by replacing the wood fascia and painting it to match the original design. Los Osos artist Barbara Rosenthal was chosen to lead the fascia restoration.

In early July, the fascia was removed by Kridi’s building manager Richard Martinez and his crew, and the pieces were delivered to Barbara’s studio. The actual restoration painting was done during the period from July 12 through the first week of August with the help of 12 Celebrate Los Osos volunteer painters under the supervision of Barbara and artist Ken Christensen.

On August 5, the painted fascia was reinstalled, completing the restoration.  If you drive by, you will see that the match is so perfect it’s almost impossible to tell the wooden strip is a replacement.

Thanks go out to:

• Barbara Rosenthal and Ken Christensen for their wonderful supervision and guidance of the painting volunteers;

• the painting volunteers: George Kastner, Lesa Smith, Riana Curren, Linda Burris, Leslie Rotstein, Sandy McComas, Joan Larive, Devra Cooper, Pat Murray, Randy Ball, Chuck Ball, and Susan Jonas;

• the sawhorse providers: Pat and Larry Grimes, Bruce Crawford, Mimi, and Gene Kalland, Chuck and Bonnie Thompson, Ken Christensen and Rosey Rosenthal;

• Tom Kridri, owner of the building, for his cooperation and support, and his generous financial contribution to this project;

• Richard Martinez for his generous contribution of time, labor, and equipment to remove, transport, and reinstall the fascia.

We are also happy to recognize the grant support from the San Luis Obispo County Project Grant program.