Ramona Woman’s Club gets updates on the latest mural projects

Elaine Lyttleton, president of the Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project, tipped off Ramona Woman’s Club members to future murals coming to town during an Oct. 7 talk to the group.

The next murals will be placed on the sides of the ALDI grocery store building at 215 16th St. and the Vintage Vibe eclectic antiques store at 652 Main St, she said.

Although still in the early planning stages, the Vintage Vibe mural will feature a Ramona scene that will serve as a “photo op,” Lyttleton said. Visitors can stand in front of the mural, take selfies and then share them on social media, hopefully attracting visitors to Ramona, she said.

Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural just initiated an artist call, so she said she won’t know the theme of the mural until artists begin submitting proposals. The Ramona Community Foundation will be contributing to its funding.

The other planned mural, for the west-facing wall of the ALDI store, will have some type of agricultural or wine theme, or blend of the two topics, Lyttleton said. ALDI will pay for the cost of the mural.

Also planned is the refurbishment of some of the older murals once the H.E.A.R.T. mural gets enough grant funds.

“Some of the murals have been up 10 years or more and the sun has been taking a beating on them,” Lyttleton told the Woman’s Club members. “We’ll look for funding to rehab and refurbish them because some of them are looking dog-eared.”

Because the Lucky Spirit mural of Charles Lindbergh at Ninth and Main streets was recently damaged by graffiti, it will also get some repairs. Some of the panels will be removed and the top portion of the mural will be temporarily removed for roof repairs, Lyttleton said. A protective coating will be added to prevent further damage, she said.

Lyttleton also shared a description of the upcoming Ramona Art & Wine Festival, planned for Nov. 5-7. Although the festival originally was held at the Amy Strong Castle its first few years and then at Begent Ranch in subsequent years, the festival had to be modified for COVID-19 conditions last year. It was recreated with a wine tour at six wineries in Ramona with vendors and artists selling their wares at each venue.

The same format is repeated this year with nine wineries instead of six. The traditional wine barrel auction, which raises money for the H.E.A.R.T. Mural projects, will continue. Wine barrels are on display for viewing at Farmhouse 78 in Santa Ysabel, Rose’s Tasting Room in Old Town San Diego, San Vicente Resort in Ramona, Boll Weevil of Ramona, and at Ramona Family Naturals.

The ninth annual Ramona Art & Wine Festival will include the following wineries: Correcaminos Vineyard, Hatfield Creek Vineyards and Winery, La Finquita Winery and Vineyard, Old Julian Vineyards & Winery, Principe di Tricase Winery, Ramona Ranch Vineyard and Winery, Schwaesdall Winery, Three Hills Winery and Vineyard Grant James.

In addition, Lyttleton shared the origins of the nonprofit Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project.

She said it was based on her experiences watching the revitalization of the town of Chemainus in British Columbia, Canada near where she grew up. The town was falling into decline after mills were closed and storefronts were being vacated, so leaders launched an ambitious project to install murals on restaurants and gift shops.

That was the impetus for building a performing arts center and Best Western Hotel and conference center in the area, she said. The combined revitalization was like a magnetic force, drawing people from around the world, she said.

After moving to Carlsbad, where she lived for 32 years, Lyttleton was active in the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee.

That experience came into play when she moved to Ramona in 2006 and saw more vacant storefronts.

“I thought we needed the murals — something to stop traffic and attract people to town and have them not just drive through,” she said.

After a meeting with Chris Anderson at a Ramona Design Review Board meeting, the two formed a committee and organized the board that would oversee the new Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project.

The group’s website says the acronym, H.E.A.R.T. not only indicates Ramona as the geographic center of San Diego County, but reflects the character of the community. “H” is for Historic and Hiking, “E” for Equine, “A” for Arts, Antiques and Agriculture, “R” for scenic rural vistas and drives, and “T” for Tasting of fine wines.

“When muralists or building owners ask what the subject matter should be I tell them it needs to follow the heart and address one of the heart acronyms,” Lyttleton said.

For information about H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project visit ramonamurals.com. For information about the Art & Wine Festival visit ramonaartandwinefest.net.