The Magic Mural
Written and illustrated by Pat Welsh with photos by Betsy Schulz, published in 2005 by the Friends of the Del Mar Library, ($14.95)
Tells the story of the Del Mar Library Multi-Media Mural, a 92-foot-long creation covering a formerly bare 4-foot-tall concrete wall in front of the library on Old 101. Since completion of the mural in 2002 many visitors to Del Mar have asked about it, so Pat wrote this book to tell the story and explain how it was made. When she sat down to write, however, the book unaccountable turned into a children’s story with several positive messages hidden in it. Adults who read it aloud will learn the step-by-step process of making a multi-media mural for their garden or community. Children will enjoy the pictures and imaginative aspects of the tale. Exudes local color and has already inspired fund-raising projects by other communities.
Can be purchased from the Del Mar Library and from select bookstores. Or send a check for $14.95 plus $5.00 postage tax ($19.95 total) and handling to Pat Welsh, P.O. Box 2509, Del Mar, CA 92014. Due to the generosity of Joe Jelley who underwrote the printing all proceeds from books bought under the auspices of the Del Mar Library go to the Friends of the Del Mar Library for the benefit of the library. A full 50% of proceeds go to the library when the book is purchased from other vendors.
Pat Freeman at the library said you did the project at Del Mar library. About 10-12 years ago I made a donation and my husband I have a beautiful engraved fish on the outside stairway. We now have a daughter and would like to donate and have an engraved fish or brick for her.
Do you still have this program going? It looks like there are bricks without names that are available to engrave.
Please let me know how I can get an engraved brick or fish for our daughter and support the library.
I wish I could help you out on this. However, our program of thank you’s for donations is not currently open for more. The last time we did this was in 2013, when we restored the Del Mar Library Multi-media Mural by removing and replacing it—an overwhelming job, but somehow with the help of donations and volunteers we did it and paid for it. Meanwhile, I began to worry that we needed to install additional drainage. I applied for a grant from the County but they turned us down. Then an amazingly generous donor gave us all the money we needed to dig out behind the wall and install French drains, which i am hoping will protect the mural through winters of heavy rainfall such as the one that is currently forecast.
I should also explain that in order to engrave bricks we need to employ a specialist in this work and do a bunch of them at once. Otherwise the job is much too expensive.
Though I doubt that in future I will ever again have the sheer physical strength needed to restore that mural again or create art that requires so much muscle and energy, one never knows what the future will hold. Thus I’ve put your name and address into my computer along with your request and I will keep you in mind as a donor for any future projects. Just so you know, I haven’t given up on art. I’ve gone back to painting in oils and watercolors. I paint one day a week and intend to continue for my entire life, eventually full time, as my Dad did. He left me a wonderful example of never quitting what one loves to do. Meanwhile I am still giving talks on gardening and writing books.