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| "Enlivening The Matilija Watershed" mural photo by Rich Reid |
Culminating more than a year of planning by Ojai resident Ray Powers, the "Enlivening The Matilija Watershed" mural was revealed in a community celebration on Nov 21, 2020. The mural was painted on removable panels at the Ojai Unified School District located at 301 N. Montgomery Street in Ojai.
The 30’x14’ mural depicts the Matilija Creek in its regenerated state after the Matilija Dam has been removed. The waters flow clear, the wildlife abundant, the flora and fauna vibrant and renewed. The beaver is featured prominently as it is a keystone species whose presence affects the entire whole of the ecosystem. The mural features the restored watershed which feeds a beaver pond where deer, bear, raccoon, and others come to drink. Oaks, sycamores and willow provide shade and a steady perch for the flyers to come and rest. The steelhead move unimpeded upstream to spawn where once they numbered into the thousands. This pristine and rejuvenated landscape is framed by the cobbled remains of the Matilija Dam which once held back the waters and marred the mouth of the canyon. Its removal signifying the steady return of the natural cycles of life.
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The underlying theme of the mural is our role in bringing back the balance of these natural cycles in our ecosystem. The inherent relationship we have as stewards of the land requires reciprocal altruism. Our ecological behavior and tendencies need to shift to insure the survival of all the native species, which in turn will provide the resources we need to thrive. Environmental education, artistic expression and a vision for the future health of the Ojai Valley watershed are the cornerstone objectives for the “Enlivening the Matilija Watershed” mural.
The ceremony began with the mural hidden by a painting of Matilija Dam, which was moved away to reveal the wall-sized mural. Watch the entire event that included talks by Ray Powers (Artistic Director, Project Manager), Dr. Tiffany Morse (Superintendent, Ojai Unified School District), Marcy Toscher (Chairperson, Ojai City Arts Commission) and Paul Jenkin (Founder, Matilija Coalition / Campaign Coordinator, Ventura Surfrider Foundation). The reveal begins at 21:22.
