Poolside Fantasy

Artist: Sophia Mavrolas
Location: Courson Park Pool, 38226 10th St. East
Installation Date: July 2020

The City of Palmdale’s Public Art Committee is proud to present Sophia Mavrolas’ “Poolside Fantasy” mural, winner of the Courson Park Pool Mural Competition. Her design was selected from 23 design submissions by separate artists. Each design was reviewed by the Artist Selection Committee and three finalists were chosen for review by the Public Art Committee.

The mural depicts a mermaid, eyes closed, relaxing in the Courson Pool with her face breaching the surface of the water. Around her are a handful of pool toys, from a donut raft to a rubber ducky. “My piece is meant to reflect a sense of calmness and peacefulness that people want when they visit a public area,” Mavrolas said. “My work always incorporates themes of fantasy as well, and I thought a mermaid spending time in the public pool would be just the right touch for families visiting the Courson Park Pool.

Mural details were stenciled via projector, then continued with exterior acrylic paints. It was completed with assistance by local artists Jerry Alonso, Alyssa Willes, and Chris Minsal.

About the Artist

Sophia is a freelance artist, illustrator, and character designer. She has always wanted to make cartoons and comics, so her illustration content contains mainly character designs, storytelling, and background art. Her inspiration comes from different world cultures, nature, fantasy, and mythology and she is always adding to her portfolio. At the time of this writing, she is a senior at California State University Northridge, working hard to receive a bachelor’s degree in animation. Her goal is to be a character designer in the animation industry.

Currently, she is working on a personal project entitled “AV Florals” which depicts a personified version of each town in the Antelope Valley.