Elisa Torres, the lead artist and designer of the Moon Ditch Mural Project, speaks with Our Ventura TV host, MB Hanrahan.
Project Overview & Scale
- Location: Ventura, California (along Auto Center Drive between Victoria and Johnson, visible from both the freeway and train).
- Scope: Completed in 2026, it spans nearly a mile in length, making it one of the largest murals in Ventura County and the state of California.
- Transformative Nature: Converted a plain, overlooked concrete drainage canal into a colorful, vibrant piece of public art.
Design & Community Connection
- Theme: Features native flora and fauna—including indigenous birds, flame skipper dragonflies, and micro-organisms—highlighting the natural wildlife that thrives in the ecosystem despite human development.
- Community Involvement: Incorporated public “paint-by-numbers” days to give local residents hands-on ownership of the piece.
- Youth Mentorship: Lead artists partnered with probation youth, providing mentorship, guidance, and creative expression.
Challenges & Key Learnings
- Logistics & Management: Managing a project of this scale required extensive coordination with Public Works, state agencies, local schools, volunteers, and material suppliers.
- Communication: Navigating communication across multiple agencies and volunteers was the single biggest challenge and learning experience.
- Support for Public Artists: Highlights the need for administrative support, prompt payment, basic necessities on site, and mutual trust between civic institutions and working artists.
TV broadcast week beginning 08/23/26
Producer: George Alger
Sponsor: NONPROFIT FIRE, Google Ad Grants Community Building NonProfitFire.org
Sponsor: SKYWORKS MARKETING, Performance Advertising SkyworksMarketing.com