Civic Engagement Hesperia
April 12, 2026
Public Art in Hesperia, California
Phase 1- The site
For this project, I decided to focus on my neighborhood in Hesperia, California. Funny enough, I did not grow up here—I grew up in Los Angeles—but I still chose my current hometown because I spend most of my time here. Over the past five years, I have actually grown to love this place. It is a quiet neighborhood with friendly people, at least in my experience. For the most part, it wasn’t until this project that I decided to take a deeper look at the artwork in my area. I drive around here a lot, and it often feels like there is hardly any public art. Of course, there is tagging, like everywhere, but this project really pushed me to explore my city more intentionally. Overall, it helped me discover public art that I had never noticed before.
Phase 2- Field Work
Hesperia Civic Plaza Park, Smoke Tree St, Hesperia, CA 92345
During my trip around the city, I found multiple murals and sculptures in my local park that I had never really noticed before. It was interesting to discover these art pieces and realize how much I had overlooked in my own community. One of the main pieces I found was a globe sculpture located in the middle of a water fountain. There was no visible plaque or artist name to give credit, which made it feel more anonymous. The globe is dark and spherical, representing the Earth. This sculpture is placed right in the center of the park, creating an interactive space where families gather, talk, and where kids run around and play. When I first saw the globe, it instantly made me think of unity. Since the purpose of this class is to focus on public art, seeing a globe in the middle of Civic Plaza Park made me think it was meant to symbolize a sense of connection and unity among people.
Hesperia Civic Plaza Park, Smoke Tree St, Hesperia, CA 92345
Another piece I found in the park was a plaque dedicated to former Mayor Russ Blewett (1944–2018). While many students focused on colorful, visually striking forms of art, which are amazing in their own way, this showed me that art goes beyond visuals. This plaque represents remembering someone who made an impact on the community. It highlights the importance of honoring individuals who contributed to the city. Connecting this back to civic engagement, it shows how public art can be used to recognize and remember those who have made meaningful changes within a community.
16165 Walnut St, Hesperia, CA 92345
Moving forward, I encountered one of the most amazing pieces of public art I have ever seen—a mural of Justice League superheroes and villains. While driving around, this artwork was very hard to see behind buildings, and it was actually my mom who pointed it out. When I stopped to take a picture, it made me realize the connection people have to things like superheroes, which was really interesting to see. It shows how public art can reflect popular culture and what people enjoy, not just serious or historical topics. One downside is that the mural is very hidden and hard to see. You would have to get really close or know where it is to notice it. However, this also made me think about how some forms of public art are less visible or less recognized than others. Overall, this connects back to what I mentioned earlier—public art goes beyond political or official pieces. This mural is a perfect example of how art can be creative, expressive, and meaningful in unique ways.
Phase 3- Critical Analysis
Looking back at my findings regarding public artwork, I concluded that the artwork presented mainly revolves around unity and honoring people who have engaged in civic life. When I mention unity, we can take the globe as an example. Even though it does not explicitly say unity, it strongly conveys it, as the globe is placed where people sit around and interact with one another in many ways, possibly making new friends. The memorial plaque for Mayor Russ Blewett shows that my city honors important figures. However, it also made me realize that more people should be recognized and deserve plaques. Although my city memorializes public figures, there is only one visible plaque, and I am sure more people deserve it. Moving on to the Justice League mural, it shows the creative side of public art, with people expressing their emotions toward something special to them. This makes this form of art more relatable than a globe or a plaque. However, because it is so hidden, many people might never get to see it. To conclude, there is a significant difference between official and unofficial public art. Official art is more city-based and structured, while unofficial art feels more relatable and connected to the community.
Phase 4- Proposal
To conclude, what I saw in my community was limited. I drove around for about 2 hours, and that was all I found in Hesperia. Nearby cities like Victorville or Apple Valley may have more, but in my area, public art felt minimal. The artwork I observed mainly focused on unity and honoring people. I took more photos, but many of them were similar, mostly plaques with the names of individuals. Don’t get me wrong, that is still a form of art, and it is important to recognize people who have made a difference. However, I feel like my community could do more. For example, I think there should be more murals, like the Justice League painting, and overall, more art that is relatable and connects with the community. Having more public art would brighten the city and make it feel more alive. I also think it would be important to include more cultural representation, because recognizing people for who they are is important. I also personally feel that local artists should have more opportunities to create art throughout the city, such as murals or other projects. I really like my city, but this project made me realize that there is more that can be done to improve public art in my community.
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