Visit Sacramento

This 2018 painting represents the California Grizzly Bear, or California Golden Bear, our State Flag icon and State Animal. It's showing motherly love in a circle made of water, a blazing red sun, the night sky and local agriculture. California Redwood and Palm tree silhouettes (hidden by actual trees in this photo) contrast our red star. Night sky transitions to a queen honey bee. Golden poppies and lavender blow alongside wheat fields. Overlapping watery splashes lead back to the baby bear, asking mama for a bite of grass.

The California Grizzly Bear has been extinct since sometime between 1922-1924, due to the introduction of the revolving rifle in 1848 when the Goldrush began. There is current debate about genetically engineering the animal to reintroduce into the wild, but there could be a more relevant issue to turn our attention to.

The honey bee represented in the top right corner contributes to production of 1/3 of all food we consume. Currently this species is threatened, and so is our agriculture industry. Some solutions outlined include becoming a beekeeper, increasing native foilage, pesticide and insecticide testing/regulation, and using alternatives like ladybugs and afids to fight pests.

I hope Sacramento can inspire positive change, and help save a species essential to sustaining America's Farm to Fork Capital.

This mural was sponsored by Wide Open Walls and is located at 1608 I street, across from the memorial auditorium.