Pacific Grove High alum and artist creates colorful graduation gift

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The Pacific Grove High School class of 2021 will have a colorful background for their graduation ceremony this year, thanks to an alum. Bryan Gage, a local artist and Monterey Bay native, added some color to the high school's field house in the form of a giant mural that he has dedicated to the graduating seniors of 2020 and 2021. The artwork features the PG Breakers' signature shades of red and gold and can be seen from across the high school's football field.

Gage says that his inspiration for the piece began when he drove past the school and couldn't help but notice how plain the wall of the fieldhouse looked. The mural was completed in late May, but Gage began working on the project last fall when he initially presented the idea to Pacific Grove High School's principal. Following its approval, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed Gage's project substantially. Nonetheless, he was able to resume work this spring so as to complete the mural just in time for this year's commencement festivities.

The mural depicts enormous waves, or "breakers", in honor of the high school's mascot and has the letters "PG" at its center. On the right-hand side is a lighthouse shining its beam, with a banner underneath that reads the mural's title, "PG Will Shine Tonight". Interspersed throughout the piece are various intricate details. In its entirety, the mural is an impressive 70 feet long and 10 feet high.

On his Instagram page, Gage spoke fondly of the experience as a whole. "It's been a blast walking the old grounds and seeing the familiar faces from the days of high school," he said in the caption of a photo showing the mural's progress. In addition to his project for Pacific Grove High School, Gage's murals are scattered throughout the Central Coast. For more information on his work, those interested can visit his website here.