We are so excited to share with you some great news! As you know, being a part of a community encompasses so many things to different people. The impromptu conversations with neighbors, activities and events that offer new experiences, coffee on someone’s stoop. These are all the things that make Côta Vera so special. And art is one of those cornerstones. Not only does it set us apart, offering a sense of pride but it creates an identity and connects us to the larger community we live, work and play in. It’s also a great way to create more opportunities to bring neighbors together to meet and gather – a favorite past time around here.
So what is this new piece of art we’re talking about? We thought you’d never ask! If you haven’t seen it already, our first mural went up recently and was commissioned by our very own Director of Marketing at HomeFed Corporation (the developer of Côta Vera) – Tim Minjares. The piece represents the values of Côta Vera, as well as the larger city of Chula Vista as a whole. Look closely and you will see a nod to the history of the land’s citrus fields, its Hispanic culture, the flora and fauna in the area, along with various elements that represent and celebrate connectedness, a thriving community, gathering with one another and the WayWell logo – which is our resident lifestyle program. We challenge you to find all the symbolism. It’s definitely a statement piece we hope our residents and neighboring friends alike will enjoy for years to come.
About the Artist
Our artist Tim grew up in Chula Vista and his family still lives here. (No wonder he has strong roots in the community.) Inspired by his dad to start drawing after seeing him give his mom a little sketch, Tim started “doodling in the margins” with encouragement by his 4th and 5th grade teacher Ms. Greenwood. Little did he know those fun scribbles would end up setting the course for this very mural. Tim went on to study art at San Diego State and Royal Academy of Art in London. Pretty impressive if we do say so ourselves! When asked what inspired his process to create this piece, Tim replied, ”We wanted our first mural to be all about the community and friendships we hope people will find at Côta Vera. We call it Ingredients of Home.” What a perfect recipe for our first piece of art.
The Future Looks Artsy
Just like the mural of the Padre Goose on Third Avenue that went up overnight to commemorate the string of Padre wins, our mural is just another way Côta Vera highlights that same inherent pride. Soon we will sprinkle art throughout the community, including sculptures, artful benches and more murals, creating an Art Walk with a concentration in the Central District. We hope it will bring everyone in our community together for meaningful discussions and maybe even meet new friends along the way. Ingredients of Home can be admired at the Welcome Center and has already been featured on Instagram. So come stop by and take a look and a selfie! And if you don’t mind, we’d love for you to give us a shout out too @cotaveraatotayranch and use the hashtag #cotaveraotayranch. Any artist recommendations would be greatly appreciated as well – just reach out at hello@cotavera.com.
Come Say Hello
In the meantime, feel free to stop by the Welcome Center and say hello to Tim. He’d be happy to share with you all the nuances and symbolism behind his mural. Then be sure to keep up on everything going on at Côta Vera by following us on Facebook and Instagram or sign up on our interest list for future updates. We look forward to seeing you around the community and hopefully, as a new neighbor if you’re not one already!
