by Nicole Witt
“Installations at the Station'' is a series of artworks that are displayed publicly throughout Liberty Station. The project is organized through the nonprofit organization NTC Foundation, and provides a local hub with beautiful and culturally influenced artwork varying from murals to sculptures and interactive pieces. The NTC Foundation’s goal is to celebrate the maritime past of Liberty Station as a formerly functioning Naval Base, while also looking forward to a community-oriented future for Liberty Station as a whole. The “Installations at the Station'' portray this especially so in the newest installation; “Home” by Scarlett Baily.
Located on the archways between Barracks 14 and 15, the mural “Home” by Scarlett Baily expresses San Diego’s plentiful history with vivid colors and stunning imagery. Baily’s piece includes painted animals as the stars of the piece, meant to showcase San Diego’s biodiversity and special collection of ecosystems. Many of the animals represent different aspects of San Diego, such as the gray whales that represent the ancestral journey of migration. Other animals featured include egrets, ospreys, and seagulls, all important members of the wetlands that are so abundant around San Diego, that need our help to be preserved and protected.
Painting started on September 18 and is expected to be finished around the end of October. There were a few days, namely September 30 and October 13 and 14, in which the community came and helped Baily paint the mural. Coloring sheets of the mural and art supplies were on hand for those who wanted to try their own versions of the project, a venture Baliy was adamant about in an effort to connect with the community. Bali shared that working on the project was “like a warm embrace” and that “[She] wasn’t expecting to be impacted in this very sentimental way as an artist. [Her] hope is that Liberty Station becomes a meeting place and second home for people, like it has for [her] during the course of this project,”. Next time you visit Liberty Station, take a swing by “Home” to admire the vibrant colors and scenery of this beautiful project.