Murals of DTSJ
A Colorful Journey Through the City
Downtown San Jose is a thriving creativity hub, where talented artists transform streets and alleyways into vibrant canvases. These murals tell the story of the city’s diverse culture, history, and community spirit, offering a colorful and dynamic experience for residents and visitors alike. From abstract designs to powerful social messages, each mural adds a unique voice to the urban landscape, making Downtown San Jose not just a place to visit, but a destination to explore and appreciate the art of its streets.
Homage
Location: 115 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Chris Duncan & Paul Urich
Year: 2003
Curated by Cherri Lakey, this mural was among the first artworks to adorn the front of City Hall. It stands as a powerful symbol of resistance, reminding those who contributed to the building’s construction of the community’s unity and strength through the depiction of the Black Power Salute.
Abundance is Constant
Location: 83 S Second St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Andy Gouveia
Year: 2008
In Andy Gouveia’s mural, a tribute is rendered to what he defines as “the three distinct phases of San Jose and the valley’s history”—encompassing the Ohlone Indian era, the agricultural peak, and the present and future identity as a tech hub, representing the ongoing transformation into a technological oasis.
What you are, I once was; What I am, you shall be
Location: 489 S Market St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Stephanie Azevedo
Year: 2015
Stephanie Azevedo crafted this mural as a tribute to California, incorporating symbolic iconography such as hair, water, skull, and scarcity to address the ongoing drought situation.
Workingman's Emporium
Location: 260 N First St, San Jose, CA 95112
Artist: Jimmy Fonseca
Year: 2015
Jimmy Fonseca honors blue-collar workers by portraying men and women engaged in blue-collar tasks, showcasing the vital contributions they make to our society.
Panda Mural
Location: 99 S First St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: PMBQ Studios
Year: 2015
A 200-foot-long mural captures a delightful scene of pandas and a variety of other animals engaged in interactions. During the creation of this artwork, the P.M.B.Q. artists enthusiastically engaged with the downtown community. Every brushstroke, from the initial primer to the final sealing coat, was infused with love and appreciation. It was of utmost importance to the artists that this positive intention remained a constant thread throughout the project.
Paseo Crosswalks
Location: Paseo de San Antonio on 3rd & 4th St, San Jose, CA 95112
Artist: Corinne Takara
Year: 2015
As a component of the SJDA’s Downtown Street Life Plan (DSLP), Crosswalk contributes to the vision and strategic roadmap for enhancing street life and implementing placemaking improvements in downtown San Jose.
San Pedro Crosswalks
Location: 151 W Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Lacey Bryant
Year: 2015
As an integral component of the Downtown Street Life Plan (DSLP), Crosswalk contributes to the SJDA’s vision and roadmap for enhancing street life and placemaking in downtown San Jose.
Life Abundant
Location: 233 W Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Jim Miner
Year: 2016
The mural is inspired by the Egyptian Art Deco interiro od the Hotel De Anza. The cornucopia is a nod to San Jose’s root in argiculture. The woman portrayed in the mural is holding a basket full of fruit and vegetables and it says “Vida Abundante”.
Afternoon
Location: 92 N Almaden Blvd, San Jose, CA 95110
Artist: Sainer
Year: 2016
While strolling along St. John Street and Almaden Boulevard in San Jose, one can admire the captivating mural “Afternoon” by Sainer, illustrating the tranquil moments shared by a boy and his grandmother on a beautiful afternoon.
Hart's Mural
Location: 194 W Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Roan Victor
Year: 2016
This site specific mural depicts a woman relaxing with her dog in a pasture of green. Reminding us to take our furry friends out to socialize at the local dog park!
Heartsong
Location: 30 Fountain Alley, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Francisco Ramirez
Year: 2016
Crafted as a personal message from the artist to the public, this mural serves as a poignant reminder to perceive through the heart and express creativity unreservedly, employing realism and portraying an anatomical heart with an open eye and outspread wings.
Bunnie Reiss Mural
Location: 211 S First St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Bunnie Reiss
Year: 2017
Bunnie’s work is heavily influenced by her Eastern European background, with its tradition of folk art, bright colors and community engagement. Her brightly colored folk murals decorate many countries and can be found all over the world such as Los Angeles, Mexico, Italy, Paris, India, Philippines, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York, San Francisco and now San Jose!
Hillside
Location: 81 W Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Lacey Bryant
Year: 2018
This is a 6-panel figurative mural depicting symbolic landmarks specific to San Jose, such as the Electric Light Tower and Low rider car.
100 Block
Location: 320 S First St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Collective
Year: 2019
This collaborative mural is made up of 100 individual squares all uniquely designed by 100 individual local San Jose artists, demonstrating the city’s diversity.
El Paseo Court Mural
Location: 40 S First St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Jim Miner
Year: 2019
This is a site specifc mural, the aritst created the design to compliment the architectual design of the apartment building. The mural is located in the back parking lot, facing 1st street.
SoFA Crosswalks
Location: San Salvador & 1st, San Jose, CA 95112
Artist: Scape Martinez & Ennis Flint
Year: 2019
As an element of the Downtown Street Life Plan (DSLP), Crosswalk contributes to the San Jose Downtown Association’s vision and comprehensive roadmap for enhancing street life and implementing placemaking improvements in downtown San Jose.
Alebrijes
Location: 25 W San Fernando St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Francisco Franco
Year: 2020
The title of this work is an homage to the brightly-colored genre of Oaxacan-Mexican folk art, originating from fever-induced dreams of Mexican artist Pedro Linares, in the early 20th-century, a central feature of the imagery contained in the mural. Franco works with a deep sense of responsibility to his traditional Mexican artistic roots, while focusing on giving back to the community through his mural work.
Labor Of Our Fruit
Location: 4 N Second St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Patrick Hofmeister
Year: 2020
The Honeybee parallels the story of the immigrant. Not native to California, the Honeybee was introduced to San José, and thereby California, by Christopher A. Shelton in March 1853. The Honeybee catalyzed California agriculture and proved how invaluable immigrants, no matter their size, stature, or from where they come, can revolutionize the world for the better.
Qmunity & Pride Post Street
Location: 65 Post St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Houyee Chow-Jimenez, Nick Ybarra & Van Pareno
Year: 2020
The district painted these murals to showcase LGBTQ diversity, expression, talent, history and cultural arts, said Nathan Svoboda, president of the Project MORE Foundation, one of the groups behind the creation of the district. Qmunity also will promote LGBTQ and ally businesses, organizations and residences.
Nuestra Ofrenda
Location: 499 S Market St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Roberto Romo & Francisco Ramirez
Year: 2021
This mural, dedicated to the generous donor families of San José and inspired by local heroes Nancy Yahayra Gutierrez and Brandon Castellanos, honors Hispanic donors who have saved countless lives. Their portraits frame a ceramic milagro heart, created by Higher Fire artists, capturing their spirit through vivid imagery. At its center, a hummingbird hovers before a marigold, symbolizing rebirth and the Aztec tradition of honoring the departed. Pink dots scattered across the mural evoke pollination and the enduring gift of life, marking the legacy of organ donors.
Lilies at Market Square
Location: 111 N Market St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Jet Martinez
Year: 2022
The purpose of this mural was to cover a plain white blank wall that was seen as an opportunity to create something beautiful for both the tenants at Market Square and the community at large.
Malama Aina, "Care for the Land"
Location: 86 N Market St, San Jose, CA 95113
Artist: Taylor Reinhold
Year: 2023
Newest mural on the side of Pono Hawaiian Grill, 86 N. Market St., was completed before the recent fires on Maui and delivers the message Malama Aina — “care for the land.” The mural also celebrates traditions, culture and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Artist Taylor Reinhold was assisted by Santa Cruz-based Made Fresh Crew teammates Erik Smiley and Casey Landaker.
Threads Woven
Location: 12 N San Pedro St, San Jose, CA 95110
Artist: Jimmy Fonseca
Year: 2024
Muralist Jim Fonseca, known professionally as Jimmy Paints, was selected from a group of curated artists Local Color submitted to SJDA. His design, entitled Threads Woven, fuses inspiration from Mexican sarape blankets with his signature geometric style to create a series of vibrant color combinations. Once completed, the mural will cover over 12,000 square feet of asphalt. SJDA conceived the project as a public art piece that would be completed with community participation.
