Friday, July 25, 2025

Fire-Scarred Altadena Residents Gather This Weekend to Paint Prayers on Community Mural

A healing art project transforms collective trauma into hope and environmental awareness

Four months after the Eaton Canyon fires devastated in Altadena, residents will gather this weekend to create a unique community mural that transforms personal loss into collective healing. 

The “Prayer for the Earth Mural” project, led by environmental muralist Ekaterina Sky, invites fire survivors to write their prayers directly onto a mural that will be ceremonially sealed in gold, offering a therapeutic outlet for community resilience.

“The most meaningful realization has been how deeply people long for community, especially after loss,” said Sky. “This project is about more than art, it’s about collective healing.” 

The four-day project, organized by local business owners John Hopkins and Sev Dhar from the former Oh Happy Day Vegan Café, will unfold from July 24 to 27. Participants will construct a mobile wall, paint a base design, and culminate in a Sunday evening ceremony where community members will write their prayers, which will then be sealed in gold. 

The initiative is being bootstrapped through community support, with partnerships including LA Climate Week and the Collidescope Foundation. 

Sky notes that the project goes beyond artistic expression, serving as a sacred memorial and environmental education tool. “We hope this mural serves as a reminder that healing the Earth and healing ourselves are one and the same,” she explained. 

Before finding a permanent home, the mural will be featured at January’s Replanting Festival, continuing in Altadena’s environmental recovery efforts. 

The project particularly focuses on supporting fire-impacted artists, with one participant who lost both her home and art studio finding new hope through community connection. By creating a collaborative artwork, the initiative aims to rebuild relationships and provide a healing space for those most affected by the recent fires.

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