The Port of San Diego Thursday announced it has selected Nicole Marie Pete, a Southern California-based artist, to create artwork as part of a splash pad being installed at Portwood Pier Plaza.
Last October, the port put out a call for professional artists in San Diego, Imperial, Orange and Riverside Counties to develop artwork to "visually enhance a mechanical enclosure next to future splash pad," a statement from the port read.
Pete, a full-blooded Navajo (Diné) and enrolled member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), proposed two murals — one for each side of the mechanical enclosure — that help celebrate Imperial Beach's "cultural heritage, environmental significance, and community traditions through play, imagination, education and connection."
According to the port, she will receive up to $20,000 to develop her concept and produce artwork files that will be installed on the splash pad.
A selection panel, including members of the Imperial Beach Arts Committee and the port's Arts Culture & Design Committee, evaluated nearly 50 applications and interviewed candidates before recommending three qualified artists or teams. The port's Arts Culture & Design Committee then selected Pete.
In April 2024, the Board of Port Commissioners approved adding the splash pad at Portwood Pier Plaza as part of a collaborative effort with the city of Imperial Beach to beautify the area. Construction for the splash pad is anticipated to begin in early March and be completed by December of this year.
Pete is a digital artist whose work "explores Native American identity through a contemporary lens," who has illustrated children's books aimed at preserving the Navajo language, contributed to Native-focused publications, and created cover art for books celebrating Indigenous perspectives, the port statement reads.
"Her work balances reverence for her ancestry with a desire to engage and educate new audiences through digital mediums," according to the port.
