Client: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa

Overview

Over summer 2022 I painted these murals for the Caritas Center, a new homeless resource center in Santa Rosa funded by Catholic Charities. The Center provides services and transition housing, and is a part of Caritas Village which is a whole city block of affordable housing.

Goals

The intent for the art was to create images that are welcoming and convey a sense of home, community, and belonging. We wanted to represent the mission of Catholic Charities whilst being open and inviting to all people regardless of faith. Consequently, the design includes elements that are faith-based references such as Saint Rose, but there's an ambiguity that allows people to bring their own stories and interpretations to it. I've always liked the formal qualities of Orthodox icons, so I incorporated some ideas there too.

Process

I was brought on bard the project early on, as ground was being broken for the building. Initial concepts and imagery gradually evolved over the course of a year, and the murals were painted by myself over two two-week periods.