"'Surfing Madonna' Mosaic in Encinitas Removed" - Encinitas, CA - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

The plaque says, "On Good Friday, April 22nd, 2011, the community of Encinitas was gifted with the Surfing Madonna mosaic, Our Lady, Star of the Sea.

Local artist, Mark Patterson and his good friend Bob Nichols, dressed up as construction workers and hung the beautiful Surfing Madonna mosaic with its "Save the Ocean" theme. The mosaic was originally mounted underneath the train bridge, across the street from its current home.

The mosaic received international attention while the artists remained anonymous for months until discovered.

Although beloved by the community, she could not stay there and eventually found her way here, to her permanent home.

Mark Patterson sought to raise awareness of the value of our world's Oceans. Through his vision he created the Surfing Madonna mosaic to spread a message of environmental awareness of Mother Ocean.

The mosaic gave birth to the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project which has continued to serve the Ocean and community through funding of local arts, environmental awareness, and by introducing special needs youth and their families to the joy of surfing and living with the Ocean.

Join us in celebrating the beauty of our world's Oceans."

Taken from Wikipedia, "The Surfing Madonna is a 10 by 10 feet (3.0 m × 3.0 m) mosaic of the Virgen de Guadalupe created by artist Mark Patterson. It was covertly installed in Encinitas, California by Patterson and his friend Bob Nichols, who posed as construction worker during the installation. The city declared that the artwork was to be considered graffiti because of the illegality of its installation. Patterson came forward to accept responsibility for it, and was fined $500 and ordered to pay approximately $6,000 for the art's removal. It was removed in 90 minutes, and Patterson was allowed to keep the art.

The response to the installation was divided: while some members of the Catholic and Latino communities took issue with it, others felt that it symbolized their Mexican heritage. The art is now in place across the street from where it was originally installed. It inspired a 501c3 non profit founded by Mark Patterson and Bob Nichols called "Surfing Madonna Oceans Project". Since the inception of the non-profit in 2013 the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project has donated well over $100,000 to local ocean/beach/park and humanitarian programs."

The article says, "The mosaic dubbed the "Surfing Madonna," which had been an object of curiosity and controversy in the seaside suburb of Encinitas in northern San Diego County, was removed Wednesday night under an agreement between the artist and city officials.

Under the agreement, the mosaic is to be relocated off public property. The artist, Mark Patterson, paid the cost of the removal, as well as a $500 fine and other expenses attached to the mysterious appearance and now removal of the mosaic on the bridge overpass near Moonlight Beach.

Sheriff's deputies stopped traffic along Encinitas Boulevard while workers took about 90 minutes to remove the mosaic, which shows Our Lady of Guadalupe riding a surfboard and has the logo "Save the Ocean" along the left side.

Initially, the identity of the artist was unknown. But once his name was found at the top of the mosaic, Patterson come forward, with his attorney, and began negotiations with the city as residents debated whether the work should be treated as art or graffiti."

Type of publication: Newspaper When was the article reported?: 06/23/2011 Publication: LA Times Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: regional News Category: Arts/Culture

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