Here is the latest installation, completed just last week. Titled, Dimond’s Hidden Jewels, this is actually just the first of five panels to be installed on the side of the Farmer Joe’s Market located at Fruitvale and MacArthur.
Created by Dimond artists, Debbie Koppman and Amanda Lockwood, both long-time teachers at nearby Sequoia Elementary School, the mural is based on hundreds of student drawings and sculptural puppet creations. The idea is to portray this slice of Oakland “through the eyes of its youngest inhabitants.”
Looks pretty idyllic doesn’t it? Oh, to be five again…
The series of panels are planned to showcase the history of the area:
- The region’s first inhabitants – the Ohlone
- Farms, orchards, and redwood logging
- Historical development of Dimond
- Historical development of Dimond cont.
- Present day Dimond – this is the panel they painted first, featured here.
Though the mural has been in the planning for years, the real challenge has been funding. What allowed this first panel to be created was an Oaklandish 2010 Innovators Award plus “Pay-Go” district funding committed by Councilmember and new Oakland Mayor-elect Jean Quan. Thanks to everyone involved for this gorgeous addition to the neighborhood! Can’t wait to see the next four panels…
Here are more shots of the work in progress…
And details of the finished product…
I love it!
If you want to help support the creation of the future panels, you can donate funds or provide ideas and suggestions about what you think makes Dimond special, by contacting the artists directly… debkoppman@yahoo.com or amandalockwood9@gmail.com.
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To all the artists who were fortunate to work on this mural your vision rocks and adds to the unity of the dimond community.