Seaside selects an Australian artist to prepare a mural for the city’s library staircase.

In early 2027, the staircase leading to Seaside Public Library at 550 Harcourt Ave. will look very different. A blank canvas today, the steps will be decorated with a mural by BEIS, a professional mural artist specializing in large-scale art for businesses, councils and community spaces.

Originally from Spain, Pedro Gonzalo Garcia – who goes by BEIS – will travel to Monterey County from his home in Australia to create a piece that will celebrate the culture of Seaside and its connection to the library. The project is budgeted for $15,000.

The City of Seaside Art and History Commission requested proposals for the mural in May. They received 12 submissions. Proposals were evaluated based on artistic merit, appropriateness for the site, artist qualifications and originality. Artists were required to include a concept drawing, narrative, and examples of previous work.

On June 16, three finalists were selected: BEIS, Tom Graesar of Graesar Graphics based in San Martin, and Hanif Panni, a multimedia artist from Seaside, with BEIS being the first choice. According to a statement from the City, “His portfolio demonstrates a strong ability to transform public spaces into engaging cultural landmarks. His proposal includes a detailed project schedule, completion timeline of approximately four working days, and a project budget of $11,500.”

Some local artists questioned why Seaside would reach outside an artist-rich community. Seaside Recreation Superintendent Kee Hyon Higgins appreciated “the quality, the artistry that he presented in his design and his work history.”

During the same June meeting awarding the project, the City decided on modifications, expanding it to include stacked books alongside the staircase, with titles selected by the Seaside library – a total of 18 steps to be painted as book spines. Due to the modification, BEIS was not able to begin work in July, as originally planned. He is now scheduled to come in December.

The call for proposals put no geographical bounds on the artist. In comparison, the City released another RFP for a less expansive project to adorn five utility boxes which calls for “local Seaside artists to submit artwork that honors the culture, values and residents of Seaside.”

This RFP was opened to the public from March 27 to May 7. A total of 21 proposals were submitted, and five local artists were selected; each will receive $500.