In the photo: The Centennial Mural, halfway done. From left to right, lead artists Amber Smith, Deborah Shea, and Miyu, staff artist.
The San Carlos Centennial Mural Updates
Last Updated August 12, 2025
Official Logo of the Centennial Mural.
San Carlos is celebrating its centennial year in a big way: with the largest mural in the city’s history unfolding right in the heart of downtown. Spanning 6,000 square feet along the 700 block of Laurel Street, the Art Bias Centennial Mural is more than a work of art. It’s a living timeline and a testament to the city’s history from 1925 to 2025.
A Mural in Motion
The project broke ground the week of July 7, 2025, transforming the pedestrian block into a worksite filled with color, conversation, and community spirit. To minimize disruption, painting takes place in two daily windows: 7:00 AM–1:00 PM and 4:00 PM–9:00 PM, with the street completed in sections so pedestrians can still pass through.
The mural’s design, approved by the San Carlos Parks, Recreation & Culture Commission, is a bold, graphic timeline weaving together local landmarks, cultural icons, and shared memories. The concept came to life through a collaboration between lead artists Shari Bryant, Deborah Shea, and Amber Smith, guided by feedback from local historians and the community.
Halfway to the Finish Line
By August 7, 2025, the mural reached a major milestone: one month of painting and roughly halfway completed. Social media updates from Art Bias show a mix of completed sections and works in progress, each panel adding depth to the story of San Carlos. Volunteers, local businesses, and residents continue to stop by — some to paint, others simply to admire and take photos.
The latest to the oldest photo, highlighting the progress of the Centennial Mural in just over a month.
San Carlos is celebrating its centennial year in a big way: with the largest mural in the city’s history unfolding right in the heart of downtown. Spanning 6,000 square feet along the 700 block of Laurel Street, the Art Bias Centennial Mural is more than a work of art. It’s a living timeline and a testament to the city’s history from 1925 to 2025.
Help Finish the Mural
Art Bias also launched its Empower Fund to support this and future community art initiatives. Every contribution, whether a small on-site cash donation or an online gift, directly fuels the tools, materials, and artist time needed to bring the mural to life.
- Donate Online via the Art Bias Empower Fund
Your contribution helps complete the mural and supports ongoing public art projects. Look for the donation link on Art Bias’s official site or via their social media. - Drop By and Give On-Site
If you visit during painting hours, you might see volunteers at the site. On launch day, Art Bias encouraged optional $1–$5 donations at the door — a small but meaningful way to say “thank you” to the artists. - Spread the Word
Share mural progress updates from Art Bias’s Instagram to inspire more community involvement.
Why Your Support Matters
Public art doesn’t just beautify our streets — it connects us to our history, sparks conversation, and brings neighbors together. By contributing to the Art Bias Centennial Mural, you’re helping:
- Celebrate 100 years of San Carlos history in a lasting, visual way.
- Give local artists and students real-world experience through mentorship.
- Strengthen the city’s reputation as a hub for creativity and cultural pride.
Follow the Journey
You can track the mural’s progress and see behind-the-scenes photos here:
- Official Project Page: artbias.org/streetmural
- City Updates: cityofsancarlos.org
- Instagram Progress Posts: Start of Painting | One-Month Update
The latest draft of the 6,000-square-foot mural, stretching from Cherry Street to Harrington Park, offers a colorful timeline of San Carlos history. The design continues to evolve as final details are refined.
About the Mural
The mural stretches from Cherry Street to Harrington Park along the pedestrian-only 700 block of Laurel Street. Though original plans called for smaller murals on Industrial Road and near Burton Park, the city pivoted, asking Art Bias to focus its efforts on this highly visible downtown stretch. The result is a vibrant, centralized public artwork that invites everyone to walk through the history of San Carlos.
Painting History Into the Street
The mural was made possible by a Centennial Community Grant from the City of San Carlos. Designed by lead artists Shari Bryant, Deborah Shea, and Amber Smith, the piece is a sweeping timeline of the city’s past, present, and dreams for the future. “We really wanted the mural to be a celebration of 100 years of progress and innovation,” said artist Shari Bryant. “It will highlight landmarks, events, and milestones across the spectrum of the San Carlos community.”
Colorful visuals will guide visitors along a winding painted pathway filled with references to local history from 1925 to 2025, like the Circle Star Theater, San Carlos Hometown Days pet parade and fun run, and the farmers market. There are nods to the Art & Wine Faire, Drake building, the San Carlos Airport and even native animals and flora.
Community-Powered Art
Public participation has been a core element from the start. Art Bias invited the community to submit ideas via an online form, and the mural’s themes were shaped by that feedback. “I would like for it to be fun for the kids. Lots of animals and things they will enjoy looking at,” said one San Carlos resident through the feedback form. The community asked for depictions of diversity, nature, gathering places, and local traditions. “In addition to the feedback, we also worked with historians Linda Garvey and Carol Bria to ensure the elements we chose would resonate with a local audience,” said Terra Fuller, Executive Director of Art Bias.
Through Art Bias’s youth mentorship program with Sequoia High School students, local teens will have a chance to contribute directly to the mural. Art Bias has emphasized that while submissions are now closed, many of the stories and sketches shared will be part of a 2026 exhibition in Studio 114 celebrating the mural’s creation.
A Mural for the Century
Though the mural painting officially begins in July, preparations are already underway. The Art Bias team has started scraping the street and applying foundation paint along the 700 block of Laurel Street, setting the stage for what will become the city’s most ambitious piece of public art to date. While stunning in scope, this asphalt mural is also intentionally temporary—it will remain in place until the second phase of Laurel Street construction begins, likely in the next few years. While it’s there, this Centennial Mural promises to turn the everyday act of walking downtown into a colorful journey through a hundred years of San Carlos stories.
In the photo: Featuring the Hometown Days Parade at the Mural.
Our Lead Artists
Shari Bryant
Shari Bryant is a portrait artist and illustrator with a heart for storytelling. Her love of portraiture developed in college, serving as a caricature and portrait artist at Walt Disney World Resorts. Today, her work focuses on faces and figures, celebrating Black women in fantasy. She is best known for her series Meladies: The Fantastic Black Woman, and she was named an Individual Artist Fellow by the California Arts Council in 2023.
Deborah Shea
Deborah Shea is a former graphic designer, illustrator, and creative director who now dedicates herself full-time to her studio art practice. Her work is inspired by nature, often integrating local flora and fauna into large-scale pastel paintings. Deborah’s work has been featured in Solo shows, juried exhibitions, and has earned numerous awards including the CZI 2023 and the 2025 Salon at the Triton Museum. She is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, California Art Club and the Society of West Coast Artists. In addition to her studio work, she teaches both online classes and in-person workshops for the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.
Amber Smith
Amber Smith is a Bay Area mixed-media mosaic artist known for using recycled materials to address environmental themes like endangered species and plastic pollution. Her community-driven works—such as the “Cuppa Joe” sculpture made from 4,000 Keurig cups—blend activism with public art. She also teaches at Art Bias and serves as a Public Art Commissioner in Palo Alto.
About Art Bias
ART BIAS
Art Bias is a nonprofit arts organization based in San Carlos that supports local artists through affordable studios, exhibitions, and community programs.
CONTACT
Phone: 650-593-3177
Facebook: Art Bias
Instagram: @artbias.1700
Address: 1700 Industrial Road, San Carlos
For More News
For more of what’s happening in and around San Carlos, please visit San Carlos Life Blog
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