A fully clothed woman in sneakers now appears to glide underwater across the side of a commercial building at 1053 Rosecrans Street in Point Loma, the centerpiece of a new mural by San Diego artist Sarah Stieber. The untitled piece was Stieber's first mural done with spray paint, and she spent roughly three weeks painting on the building's exterior wall.
The mural was commissioned by the Point Loma Association after Stieber canvassed the neighborhood and heard residents wanted an ocean or beach feeling, according to Times of San Diego. Some early coverage, including a report from OB Rag, referred to the artist as “Sarah Steiberg,” but the Times of San Diego identifies her as Sarah Stieber. It was Stieber's first mural back in 2018 that set her on the path to this project, and the Times of San Diego notes that this was her first mural done with spray paint.
The building at 1053 Rosecrans Street is home to several local businesses, including Little House of Flowers and the real estate office of Diane Sullivan and Anne Herrin. Sullivan and Herrin's office hosted a temporary art gallery pop-up featuring Stieber's work while she painted, the outlet's report notes, giving neighbors a chance to see more of her portfolio during the weeks-long project.
Dedication and Gallery Walkabout Planned for September 20
A mural dedication and community gallery walkabout is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, starting at 2 p.m. and centered at 1021 Rosecrans Street, according to a Facebook announcement from Stieber. The event is described as a gallery walkabout.
Part of a Multi-Year Rosecrans Street Art Push
This is not Stieber's first collaboration with the Point Loma Association along this stretch of road. In January 2024, she completed “Sky's the Limit,” a 21-foot-tall mural at The Monsaraz Hotel at 1451 Rosecrans Street that is airport-themed, as reported by CBS 8.
The corridor has picked up other murals in recent years, too. Local coverage has also discussed other public-art projects along Rosecrans Street.
According to the City of San Diego's Peninsula Community Plan, State Route 209 (Rosecrans Street) connects surrounding freeways to the Point Loma area. The City of San Diego's Peninsula Community Plan says community commercial uses will dominate the core of Roseville along Rosecrans Street, while neighborhood commercial uses will form the focus of other areas.
A Neighborhood Beautification Effort Decades in the Making
The Point Loma Association, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit community organization with volunteers that coordinates local beautification efforts, runs the Mean Green Team maintenance crew, and features utility box art across the peninsula, according to the Point Loma Association. The nonprofit lists members, sponsors and donors among its supporters and highlights public art.
Beyond murals, the association's public-art work also includes projects elsewhere on the peninsula. The mural projects also fit within the broader public-art landscape.
According to a City of San Diego agenda document, an ordinance requires a 1% set-aside for public art enhancement in private development, although the requirement may be satisfied by the project. According to the City of San Diego, its Civic Art Collection includes nearly 1,000 artworks placed throughout libraries, civic buildings, and public spaces.
The association's community engagement extends beyond art installations, too. Hoodline previously covered a D2 candidate forum the association co-hosted with the League of Women Voters earlier this year. The forum was another community event involving the association.
