Just off Highway 33, between Ventura and Ojai, two enormous water tanks are being transformed from basic functional vessels into magnificent works of Jurassic art. Since April, the two 24-foot-high, 125,000-gallon freshwater tanks have been the focus of renowned local artist MB Hanrahan, a multimedia artist who works with paint, installation, collage, photography, film, books, and performance. Hanrahan’s murals have transformed many Ventura structures and spaces from ordinary, mundane eyesores into vibrant, memorable artistic experiences.
The tanks are owned by Aera Energy, a subsidiary of California Resources Corporation. The company partnered with the Westside Community Development Corporation for this community beautification project, aiming to enhance the appearance of their urban oil and gas facilities. Hanrahan was contacted and tasked with developing an artistic concept for the tanks.
“When I started imagining imagery for the tanks, I knew it had to be something that read close up and far away—from the Avenue, from the bike path, and from the 33—and also made sense from every angle,” explained Hanrahan. “I also wanted the tanks to fit in harmoniously with the landscape. Even though the surrounding grounds are dedicated to oil extraction, the green space and mountain views dominate. It came to me in a flash—terrestrial dinosaurs and prehistoric sea animals! Who doesn’t love that! There is the obvious ‘fossil fuels’ allusion; however, the greater message is evolution and change. Everything changes—no matter how big.”
Hanrahan hopes to complete the water tank mural soon and will then move on to her next project. “The future projects that have me most excited right now are restoring the south-facing mural on the Westpark Community Center, which was painted by myself, local youth, and neighbors in 1996, and a Tortilla Flats Legacy mural at the newly built community center at the Westview Housing Authority apartments, previously ‘the Projects.’ This mural, designed by Moses Mora and myself, chronicles how the projects and surrounding neighborhood businesses and facilities served the diaspora of folks displaced when the 101 Freeway was built through the Westside Ventura Tortilla Flats neighborhood.”
Learn more about MB Hanrahan’s work at www.mbuniverse2.com
