One of the neighborhood’s chronically graffiti-tagged walls has gotten a much-needed makeover.
The small brick wall that contains PG&E’s substation along the 1100 block of Ocean Avenue was once home to a scenic wildflower mural by 1AM Projects inspired by Ingleside’s past but due to constant graffiti and difficulties with maintenance, the once colorful design was painted over with grey paint. To bring liveliness back into this block, the Ocean Avenue Association and local artists Shrey Purohit and Ellen Lo partnered in October 2024 to create the neighborhood’s newest mural addition that went up on Feb. 23 with help from the community.
“It’s really nice to have art projects with community involvement,” Lo said.
Titled “Ingleside At Sunset: A Community Portrait,” the mural depicts a scene of San Francisco’s neighborhoods with colorful houses, one paved road and Sutro Tower depicted against a bright red backdrop. It was inspired by a picture Lo’s husband, Vincent DiBiase, took one evening overlooking Ingleside.
While the neighborhood aspect of the mural sits low against the brick wall, the decision behind it was to help aid in further tagging, Purohit said, making it an easy fix for the association’s staff to paint over without altering the design. The mural will be sealed with an anti-graffiti coating once final touches are added.
Rosendo Betancourt, the association’s small business and marketing manager, said the organization is committed to continuing its efforts toward graffiti abatement and found that tactics like adding art and murals to Ocean Avenue have been effective. OAA also fully funded this project.
“The mural signifies our community's pride, unity and love,” Betancourt said. “The colors are meant to pop out and the mural is supposed to make you feel cozy and welcomed.”
Three days before the project, Lo and Purohit took to social media, inviting the neighborhood to join them in making their ideas come to life. Despite the few-day notice, roughly 25 people came throughout the day to put their mark on the wall including Ocean Avenue’s Footbeat Officer Drewkai Butler.
“Participating in projects like this gives folks an opportunity to get to know their neighbors, beautifies the neighborhood and is just a lot of fun and very relaxing,” said Ingleside resident Kate Favetti.
While this was Lo and Purohit’s first community-centered art project, they want to do others, similar to the substation mural, with the community in the future.
“We're always looking to find new walls,” Purohit said.
