More mural ideas unveiled at Design Review meeting
By Karen Brainard
More outdoor town mural ideas were presented to the Ramona Design Review Board at its Jan. 31 meeting.
Elaine Lyttleton, president of the Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project Committee, said the Ramona Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a commerce mural and has chosen a painting by the late Ramona artist Louise Shidner. A picture of her painting that depicts old-time Ramona is displayed on the chamber’s website, ramonachamber.com.
Lyttleton said the chamber has received permission from Shidner’s grandson to copy the painting for a mural on the side wall of La Cocina restaurant at Main and Seventh streets. The chamber is trying to raise $8,000 to $9,000 for the mural, she said.
“The Kenilworth” is what the committee is calling the mural to be painted on the side wall of the Ramona Food & Clothes Closet at Main and Eighth streets, the site of the former Kenilworth Inn. Lyttleton said artist Linda Luisi has been selected to paint the mural.
After researching and discovering that chicken dinners were sold at the inn, the artist decided to incorporate a vintage figure advertising the dinners at the sidewalk level of the mural, said Lyttleton. A scene of the inn will be painted above the figure.
According to Lyttleton, mural artists have been researching their subjects at the Guy B. Woodward Museum.
Lyttleton said more money needs to be raised for the equine mural on the Ramona Business Barn at Main and Fourth streets. The committee hopes to unveil that mural on March 16. The mural committee asks horse owners to consider donating $10 per horse. Individuals or
organizations donating $250 or more will have their names added to a plaque at the mural site. Anyone interested may contact Lyttleton at 760-787-1102 or Lyttleton@sv-mail.com.
San Diego Country Estates Association and the San Vicente Inn also want to sponsor a mural in town and have raised $4,000, said Lyttleton.
Design review board member Rob Lewallen added that the Ramona Music Center, 1045 Main St., is planning to have a small mural painted on its building.