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Coastal Baths Mural

Coastal Baths Mural

This mural is by Jacquelin de Leon (https://www.jacquelindeleon.com/). It is under Park Ave. on the Guadalupe River Trail and is really comforting to me.

Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural
Coastal Baths Mural

Maybe this is why I am including so many photos and can not settle on fewer; I appreciate this comfort right now.

Coastal Baths Mural

The artist said that this is inspired from being a kid in the bath with all of her sea animal toys and imagining herself in the sea with them all around her and then recently going to the ocean and wanting to sit in there with all of the sea animals (https://www.instagram.com/p/CdeHF4IPWbu/). That makes me smile.

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Yoake No Noraneko Mural

Yoake No Noraneko Mural

Yoake No Noraneko, Japanese for “Stray Cat at Dawn”. This is by local San Jose artist and tattoo artist Horitomo (https://monmoncats.com/), known for his designs of Monmon cats, “Tattoo cats”. You find this one walking down to the Guadalupe River Trail from Coleman Ave.

I like this one. I do not know what the artist was intending though I see a modern street cat walking through a San Jose garden when still dark and feeling like a big tiger, playing and connecting with his own heritage at the same time.

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Native Plant Garden at Lake Cunningham

Lake Cunningham Park in San Jose has many great reasons to visit. One is to find and walk around the Native Plant Garden. (https://cnps-scv.org/index.php/restoration/lake-cunningham) While you are there you may also enjoy the largest skate park in California, BMX bike park, water park with water slides and lazy river, playgrounds, paths, and so on.

Lake Cunningham Native Plant Garden
Path through the Native Plant Garden.
Lake Cunningham Native Plant Garden
Looks like a heart 🙂
Lake Cunningham Native Plant Garden
Looking over the lake towards the water slides.
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Backesto Park

Backesto Park

This was my local park growing up. It was”the park” to me and it is fascinating to time travel through memory to be here now. This handball court wall was here then though this mural was not. I have not yet found out about this artist though the mural is signed KML. I appreciate the words written under it by the artist:

“FINDING Santuario ~ IT’S JUST a WALK en el parque”

Finding Sanctuary ~ it’s just a walk in the park.

Backesto Park
Backesto Park

This monument was there long before I was. Those tiles were created by S&S, the historical Solon and Schemmel Tile Company of San Jose of the 20’s and 30’s that is now Stonelight Tile in San Jose. This monument at Backesto Park is the oldest public work using their tiles. Later famous works of theirs include the Hearst Castle.

An interesting read about the tile company is here: https://stonelighttile.com/handmade/

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Guadalupe River Trail Mural

Guadalupe River Trail Mural

You certainly will not ignore it; it is bright. It does a good job of welcoming you to the trail as intended. You might look to notice more and see a fun mural. If you want to get greater amusement out of it, I highly recommend that you speak aloud and say what you see.

Is that a palm tree skateboarding with a fanny pack on? Yes, yes it is.

Guadalupe River Trail Mural
Guadalupe River Trail Mural
Guadalupe River Trail Mural

Hey look, a cattail eating a hotdog is bringing up the back of an extra long tandem bicycle. Why is the bird in front of him/her wearing a beret? I don’t know. Did I mention the cattail eating a hotdog?

Guadalupe River Trail Mural

The mural is called “Do You Know The Way To San Jose’s Guadalupe River Trail?” by Kristina Micotti. (https://kristinamicotti.com/ , https://www.powwowsanjose.com/2020-artists-murals-1 )