California Birds, Stewards of the Environment

Arts Los Altos introduces its 11th art implementation — a new mural entitled California Birds, Stewards of the Environment by San Jose artist Roan Victor. The large-scale artistic mural displays an array of colorful California indigenous birds adorning two walls of the Comerica Bank building at 275 Third Street in downtown Los Altos.  Arts Los Altos chose an environmental theme for this project’s Call for Art. From many artist proposals, Comerica Bank chose Roan Victor who also created the Arts Los Altos vinyl wrap mural, Apricot Blossoms, which enhances the wall above the BK Collections sign at 342 State Street.

Victor embraced the environmental theme because she spends a lot of time observing and promoting the balance of nature in her garden.  She grows food for her chickens and for the native birds that join right into the feast.  All of the birds in the mural panels are her friends from the garden working together to protect the environment by dispersing seeds, eating insects, pollinating wildflowers and scavenging carcasses.  On the mural wall facing Whitney Street, the bird list includes a California Towhee, an Acorn Woodpecker, a Red-Tailed Hawk, an Anna’s Hummingbird and two California Quail.  On the Third Street side is a continuation of the quail parade, a Turkey Vulture, a Scrub Jay and numerous White Crowned Sparrows.  The birds are perched on or around native California buckeye and oak trees.