Photos by Israel Valencia
Napa artist Kristina Young, (left) lead artist for a mosaic on the Chrysler dealership on Soscol Avenue and murals and wayfinding pieces for the Heritage House-Valle Verde housing complexes. (Above) Details of treestops, which Napa artist Kristina Young plans to include in the welcome mural for the Valle Verde housing complex.
Art
where it matters
Two of Kristina Young’s projects to beautify Napa
N
JESSICA ZIMMER
apa artist Kristina Young is using our natural environment and familiar landmarks to bring art to the community. “All of these art projects are meant to bring unexpected joy to the audience. These are pieces that allow the viewer to say, “That’s my home. This art connects me and makes me feel a part of Napa,”” said Young. Her current projects include a mosaic of classic cars for the south side of Hanlees Chrysler at 473 Soscol Avenue; an interactive sculpture for the Soscol Square development at 333 Soscol Avenue, to be built by 2022; the Napa Quake Mosaic, a community-built project commemorating the 2014 Napa earthquake, which will be sited in downtown 18 | DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES
Napa; and a group of nature-themed artwork and wayfinding pieces for Heritage House and Valle Verde. Young said the Hanlees mosaic will feature a female driver in a 1950s Chrysler, motoring by a parade of Chrysler models dating between the 1920s and 1970s. The background will showcase several black and white Belted Holstein cows in green pastures. Far beyond will be blue peaks similar to the Mayacamas Mountains. The Heritage House-Valle Verde complexes will contain a variety of natural landscapes from the valley floor, featuring native Napa flora and fauna such as oak trees and local wildflowers. Large pieces may encompass murals in common spaces such as lobbies and hallways. Small pieces will include markers to
Napa artist Kristina Young’s sketch of the south end of the Napa River, which she may recreate in a mural or wayfinding piece for the Heritage House complex.
denote different floors of the complexes as well as a unique tile featuring an animal or plant by each resident’s door. “Those signifiers will let residents know which is their unit,” said Young. The Heritage House-Valle Verde complexes, which will be built at 3700 Valle Verde Drive, will become a connected development that will offer affordable housing for families on one side. There will be permanent August 2021
