Planned Parenthood Large Scale Mural in Pasadena CA

Over the last year, I kept passing a new construction site in my neighborhood. One day I noticed a rendering posted on the fence showing a mural on the facade of the building. I jotted down the architect's name, telling myself I'd reach out to see if they needed a mural artist. There's nothing more convenient than a project I can walk to from home.

Then, out of nowhere, I got an email from a real estate company looking for a local artist for that very project. Turns out it was for the new Planned Parenthood Headquarters for the San Gabriel Valley. Their previous offices happened to be across the street from our Greetings from Altadena mural so they were familiar with our work. As a longtime supporter of the organization, saying yes was a no-brainer.

This project was unusual for me because I wasn't painting an original design. Instead, I was taking artwork created by an Art Center student, Neko Ohnsman, and scaling it up for the building's exterior. He had also designed several walls for the interior of the space as well. I usually prefer painting my own work, but I was drawn to this one because it pushed me into a style I don't normally do. It had a muted, restrained palette and very bold abstract designs. There was nothing too commercial feeling and it was meant as a calming, subtle tribute to Pasadena. I always welcome a new challenge that stretches my mural portfolio in a different direction.

After plenty of back-and-forth and design consultation, we coordinated the installation around a busy, active construction site. I brought together a great crew of local artists including Ernie Nazarian, Ray Abary, Alec Pelsone, and Angel Serrano to get it done in about a week.

Our working hour window was tight: 5am to 2pm on weekdays only. With the summer heat looming, that early schedule turned out to be a blessing rather than a burden. It had been a while since I'd worked in a hard hat and safety glasses, and honestly, I didn't miss it! One small win was that the scissor lift fit into the space with only inches to spare, which meant we avoided setting up scaffolding. This easily saved us half our install time.

In the end, we covered about half of the entrance wall and a full wall in the staff courtyard. On the Lake Ave. side, we added a few parrots up top. Because of ongoing graffiti issues in the area, the client was understandably hesitant to put a more detailed mural on that street-facing side. The back South facing wall may be a phase 2 if they can get some clearance from the neighbors. It would have great visibility from way down on Lake Ave. if that ever happens!

This was also the last project we worked with Honeybear, our RV, before passing her along to good friends. She'd been our painting partner and the best mobile studio we could've asked for, so letting her go wasn't easy. But it felt like the right time to send her off on her next journey with someone else.

Year: 2026

Design by: Neko Ohnsman

Size: Various (± 2,500 sq ft total)

Location: Planned Parenthood Pasadena SGV - 620 N Lake Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101