OCEANSIDE — After several months of work, a team of artists has transformed the once-gray, stagnant pedestrian tunnel at the Oceanside Transit Center into a vibrant work of art that reflects the community’s character and culture.
The North County Transit District, along with MainStreet Oceanside and Caltrans representatives, celebrated the completion of the giant mural with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 24.
Titled “Oceanside Odyssey,” the mural showcases Oceanside’s native habitat, featuring sunset skies and ocean depths. Various marine, avian and other local wildlife cover 18 walls of the tunnel, with “Oceanside” painted on one side and “California” on the eastern side.
The team of artists worked overnight from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. over the past few months to finish the piece.
The team includes lead artist Jon Hamrick, head of murals for the Pacific Beach Art District, who has painted for celebrities and Wide Open Walls.
Hamrick was joined by Maxx Moses, described by MainStreet Oceanside as a “historical figure in the world of murals,” who has painted eight San Diego transit centers and is globally known by his graffiti name, Pose 2. His murals span cities from San Diego to Amsterdam, Dubai and Osaka.
Paul Jimenez and Signe Ditona of GroundFloor Murals also contributed. The duo became famous overnight after painting Tony Gwynn and Junior Seau and have since created works for YouTubers including MrBeast and FazeRug, as well as the San Diego Padres, San Diego Gulls and the city of Chula Vista.
Artist Victor Rodriguez also contributed, working closely with the lead artists to bring large-scale ideas to life through steady craftsmanship and artistic sensibility. According to MainStreet Oceanside, his “presence is felt in the careful detailing, layered textures, and technical execution” throughout the mural.
Perspective Paint and Design owners Jon and Syke Hall led the artist team on surface preparation, safety and preservation of the mural.
“When you walk through the tunnel, step back and find an animal that you love. You’re going to see movement of light. You’re going to see character and personality within these animals. As you step closer, you’re going to see technique splatters and features…,” said Sean Chavez, director of Business and Community Engagement at MainStreet Oceanside. “It’s so impressive that it’s impactful to us as a community.”
Chavez said the mural is the sixth of 10 community art pieces planned through MainStreet’s Art That Excites program.
MainStreet and NCTD began working together a few years ago to bring more public murals like “Oceanside Odyssey” to life, including the recently completed mural on the transit center’s public parking garage by artist Jonny Pucci.
Other Art That Excites murals include “The Beauty of the Sea Will Always Be With Me” on the side of the Star Theatre, and “Yin Yang Dragons” by professional muralist Gloria Muriel, as well as “The Sacred Offering,” created by Muriel, Dinah Poellnitz and young local artist Isabel Figueroa at 326 N. Horne Street.
In 2023, Caltrans awarded NCTD a $144,000 grant through the Clean California Local Grant Program for the pedestrian tunnel mural. The total project cost was estimated at $231,000.
The following year, MainStreet released a call to artists. More than 3,500 community members voted on the top three finalists, with the majority choosing the winning concept.
“I’m really excited to see this project,” Oceanside Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It’s a prime example of how bringing all of our community to the decision table can deliver great outcomes for everybody.”
Joyce, who also serves on the NCTD board, said the artists “completely revitalized this grey, concrete, pedestrian, sad place and turned it into this marvelous piece of public art that reflects the beauty and culture of Oceanside.”
“I’m extremely proud,” he added.
NCTD Chief Executive Officer Shawn M. Donaghy said it’s essential for transit spaces to connect to the community.
As the “gateway to San Diego,” Donaghy emphasized that the new mural at the Oceanside Transit Center — which offers connections to the Sprinter and Coaster rail lines, Breeze bus system, and Amtrak and Metrolink rail lines — should reflect the community’s “vibrance and character.”
“We’ve long heard from our customers that they’d like to see improvements to the pedestrian tunnel,” Donaghy said. “With this project, we’re following through on our commitment to provide a world-class transit experience for our riders.”
