A few summers ago, we got to spend a couple of days in the seaside town of Oxnard, CA. We were there to visit one of the least-visited US National Parks, this one off the coast of California. We made a day trip to Channel Islands National Park, had some beach time, watched a couple of sunsets, and spent one evening looking at a collection of beach murals.
One foggy evening, we were out on a walk. We walked down Ocean Drive and hit a dead end, or so it seemed. Then I caught sight of a narrow road on the right that seemed to lead to the water. Stretched thin between a restricted area that had some sand dunes behind the fences on one side, and the last of a row of homes and a sandy beach on the other, it seemed to end at a wall with some art on it. When we we got to that end, we realized that the wall turns around the corner and reveals what could easily be a whole open-air art gallery!
Silver Strand Beach Murals
Back there was a small empty parking lot, backgrounded by a splash of color. The wall of murals seemed to make another turn and hug the coastline, and continue to play canvas to more art.
There, at the south end of Silver Strand Beach and looking out into the Santa Barbara Channel and the Great Pacific beyond it, were paintings of sea creatures, the Channel Islands, some portraits, some abstract murals, mermaids, and graffiti-style art.
These murals are actually on the walls of a naval base, and seem to have been around for several years now. My research tells me that they are done by local artists and were touched up by a group of 40 artists in 2019.
La Jenelle
Apparently, this is not the only attraction at this end of the mile-long Silver Strand Beach. If you walk further along the wall, you will get to the final resting place of La Jenelle, a cruise ship turned floating restaurant that was wrecked here. In fact, this end of the beach gets its name from the capsized liner. It’s called La Jenelle Park. There’s even a La Jenelle Jetty on the other side.
How to get to the murals
However, if you look up La Jenelle Park or Jetty on Google Maps, it may not take you to the wall of murals featured in this post, as the area is part of the Port Hueneme Naval Base.
To go see these Oxnard murals, set your destination to Silver Strand Beach. Once you get there, instead of parking at the lot at the north end of the beach, go down Ocean Avenue till it meets Sawtelle Avenue. There on the right, you will see a small road that leads to the lot at the south end of the beach.
More:
Murals from Oxnard, California
Murals on TftT
You might also want to check out–
A day on Santa Cruz Island (Channel Island National Park)
Linking to —
Monday Mural on Colourful World
(See murals from different parts of the world, here.)
What an exciting find Dee! A wonderful open air art gallery by the beach. I’m surprised they look so good as the sea air and salt is not kind to paint. Thanks for participating in Monday Murals Dee.
There were so many of them! That was a cool, surprise!
They did get a little touch-up a 2-3 years before these pictures were taken but you’re right — they seem to be ageing well in that ocean air.
Thank you for hosting, Sami. Have a good week.
There are some beautiful murals out there. I love the Evan Mendel one! Real art!!!!!
Yeah! there were some really good ones, there. 🙂
Thank you for visiting, Bettie.
…Dee, these murals are a fabulous find! Thanks for sharing them.
Thank you for coming by to see them, Tom.
Have a great week ahead! 🙂
Amazing series of murals, Great works.
It was such a fun find.
And I love your Bihu special murals. I hope you had a good Bihu, Rupam. 🙂
How fun to find all these murals. I try to find murals wherever I go! Great find!
I never expected to see this many in one place. This was cool!
Thank you for coming this way, Mroy. 🙂