By Sheldon Brown –
Another splash of color has arrived in Pierpont! Local artist Frank Bauer’s new mosaic mural, filled with bold marine life, now brightens the lower Seaward Avenue beach area. This final piece completes a community project that also brought a mosaic bench and four decorative trash receptacles to the space. Bauer used these everyday structures as his canvas to create an ocean-themed, ceramic tile masterpiece with some local Pierpont history built into the design.
The Pierpont Bay Community Council has designed and developed many projects and events over recent years. The “Seaward Beautification plan”, implemented in 2016, continues to shape the neighborhood’s look, while preserving the “beach/ocean theme” we have all come to enjoy. Prior Pierpont Council projects include the replanting of the center median on Seaward Street, the Pierpont Community sign welcoming residents and guests, the “light up Seaward” project giving Seaward Street improved lighting and a cool nighttime look, the holiday decorations, new community-oriented flags, and the installation of holiday flags. Much of the money for these projects came from private donations, a “GoFundMe” campaign, and the City of Ventura’s “Measure O” money.
“My particular technique of mosaic construction starts first with wet clay,” Bauer explained. “I then shape the clay to create my various pieces needed to complete a project. These hand-shaped pieces are then bisque-fired, and glazes are then applied to give the pieces their lasting color and fired again. I select from these finished tiles to create my mosaic projects.”
Learn more about Ventura’s public art programs: www.cityofventura.ca.gov/1711/Public-Art-Programs
