A few weeks ago my granddaughter, Sierra, graciously accompanied me to La Jolla so we could take pictures in the gigantic, outdoor art exhibit called the Murals of La Jolla. After snagging my favorite handicapped parking spot on Girard Avenue, we got my wheelchair out and consulted the map I’d printed before leaving home. (Yes, I’m aware it’s on my phone but my old eyes prefer the larger image).
We knew we were already in the “gallery” whose invisible walls are Prospect Street, La Jolla Boulevard, Pearl Street and Torrey Pines Road. Murals map Today’s ceiling was May Gray, not the brilliant Cerulean that tourists expect. Thankfully there is no dress code. Flip flops, shorts and halter tops are just fine. Or—you can go barefoot in your bathing suit.
We found ART IS GOOD FOR YOU, 2023, by Michael Mercil, on a wall of the Chase Bank building. The address for this piece is listed as 7777 Girard Avenue. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t see it at first. The capital letters will be shouting at you as you walk around the corner onto Silverado Avenue.
Over the next hour we zig-zagged our way through the bustling streets of the village, oohing and aahing, while competing to see who would discover the next of the 16 murals that are currently on display.
We spent a lot of time in this parking lot trying for an unobstructed shot of The Scripps Gill Loggia, 2023, by Rex Southwick. It finally dawned on me that part of its charm are the parked cars which seemingly invite you to climb on top of them so you can stroll into the courtyard.
Four years ago, Dave and I spent an afternoon wandering around while I photographed the murals. The date on those photos is March 19, 2020. Six days earlier, a national state of emergency had been declared and our country abruptly shut down. We’d only been cooped up for 6 days at that point and we were restless, wanting to “get out and go”, but it was tough finding somewhere safe and open to the public. Believe it or not, even the beaches in La Jolla were closed and being patrolled by the police!
For once, parking was not an issue. We could have walked in the middle of the street if we’d wanted to. Even more strange was the silence and absence of people window shopping or scurrying around solving the world’s problems.
All ten of those murals have since been replaced but I still remember Playing La Jolla (for all it’s worth), 2015, by Terry Allen. Maybe it’s because I grew up practicing the piano one hour before and one hour after school. Maybe it’s because I became a very good pianist–in demand at church, at school, and as an accompanist for other musicians. Maybe it’s because I eventually learned to play the pipe organ, which transported me into another world.
From the time I was little, I dreamed of playing the organ. To have my feet fly over a full pedal board, and my hands glide between multiple keyboards, while pushing or pulling the couplers, drawknobs and pistons—a very athletic endeavor indeed.
It was glorious. And what a power trip. Bombastic, wall-rattling music or soft, melodic, offertory pieces. Holding an audience under my spell. The black on white keys…what wonderful memories. If you’ve never seen or heard a pipe organ, you might enjoy An Introduction to the Pipe Organ.
As I looked at this photo, it dawned on me that in August, 45 years ago, my organ-playing dreams vanished when I fell onto a train track in Austria and lost both my legs above the knee and my right arm. Even though I cannot play a pipe organ anymore, I’m grateful that I can still crank up the volume on our home speakers and rattle the walls with Bach organ concertos or preludes and fugues. Like the athletes competing in the Paralympics last week, I’ve learned that when life takes something away, we have it within our power to accept the change and find other ways to do or enjoy things.
So–my outing to the Murals of La Jolla turned into a reminiscence about playing the organ. I wonder what memories or dreams you might experience if you “Get Out and Go” visit the Murals of La Jolla.
USEFUL INFORMATION
WEB SITE: Murals of La Jolla
HOURS: Open 24/7
TOURS: Enjoy the murals on your own using the Self-Guided Tour Document, or make reservations for group or private tours
HANDICAP PARKING: Street parking in La Jolla has a 2 hour limit. Handicap spaces are scattered throughout the Village. If you visit on a particularly busy day, you might consider reserving a spot through Parkopedia or La Jolla by the Sea.
ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS: There are no public restrooms in La Jolla other than at the beach.
FOOD: Eater San Diego has the most up-to-date recommendations.
BOOK: In 2020, the Atheneum published “Murals of La Jolla”, a beautiful coffee-table book celebrating the first ten years of the Murals. It is available for purchase at the Atheneum and at Warwick’s.
MAP:
