Immanuel Lutheran Elementary School Mural

The playground of the Immanuel Lutheran Elementary School (5455 Alessandro Blvd, Riverside) sports a highly visible mural of a roadrunner, the school mascot.  The artist is unidentified.  

Alcott Elementary School Murals

Alcott Elementary School (2433 Central Ave, Riverside, CA) has two notable murals visible from Central Avenue.  One shows a tree with prints of children's hands for leaves amidst a bed of flowers. Above it is a quote from Helen Keller in an arc saying "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much". The other shows a cute alley cat, the school mascot.  The artists responsible for the murals are unknown.

Poly High School Historical Tableau

On the north side of Poly High School (5450 Victoria Ave., Riverside) there is a tableau entitled, Bears Through the Decades that provides a brief history of the high school which has been sited in several locations over the past 135+ years.  The designers are unidentified.   

Poly High Bear Sculpture

Near the west entrance to Poly High School (5450 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA) stands a statue of a bear, the school's mascot. Under it and nearby are the names of prominent graduates - Bears of Distinction.  The sculptor is unidentified. 

Poly High School Murals

At various locations to the north and east of Poly High School (5450 Victoria Ave., Riverside, CA), are murals making reference to the school mascot, the bear.  The artists are unidentified. 

Citron Apartments Rail Commuter Murals

A series of four flower-, citrus- and Riverside-themed murals have been painted on a wall behind the Citron Apartments (3661 Merrill Ave, Riverside, CA) and adjacent to the railroad tracks near Riverside Plaza.  They are most likely intended to be seen by Metrolink train passengers as they are not easily visible from nearby roads.  All four can be seen from an alley that goes along the wall.  The murals were painted by Southern California artist Damin Lujan @zaoone with support from @cdcdesigns and @vandaelehomes.  According to the artist's Instagram post, as one of the anti-graffiti workers painted over part of the fourth mural below by mistake, the worker said "this cholo does good graffiti".  

Two of them (shown below) can also be seen from a more distant vantage point through the fence at the back of the parking lot for the Inland Valleys Association of Realtors (3690 Elizabeth St., Riverside). 

 

Metal Wall Art Depicting Scenes from Riverside

Two pieces of metal art hang on the wall of the La Sierra Branch of the Riverside Public Library (4600 La Sierra Ave, Riverside). They depict scenes of prominent Riverside locations and were made by Brad Willason, a notable local artist.  The frames are also unique, typically being constructed of weathered wood. More information about the artist and his work can be found on his website. 

Skateboard Deck Paintings within the La Sierra Branch Library

Scenes from Southern California painted on the underside of two skateboard decks hang on the wall of the La Sierra Branch of the Riverside Public Library (4600 La Sierra Ave, Riverside). One painting is of a solitary palm tree at a Southern California beach.  The other entitled, Palms of Victoria Avenue, shows palm trees that line that historic Riverside Avenue.  Both were painted by local artist Chris Napolitano @chrisnapart.  A brief description of him and his artwork can be found in the July 2021 issue of the Riversider Magazine. 

"Gemmed Orange" of the Giant Orange Artventure

A giant orange entitled Gemmed Orange sits within the Arlanza Branch of the Riverside Public Library (8267 Philbin Ave, Riverside, CA).  The large orange is covered with colored porcelain chips and faux gem stones.  The orange was painted and decorated by Jana Stevens Furzer as part of the 2006 Great Orange Artventure sponsored by the Art Alliance of the Riverside Art Museum. 

Fused Glass Portrait of East Indian Woman in Riverside

A fused glass on tile work of art showing what appears to be a woman of east Indian descent exhibiting  a Raincross as a forehead marking is located within the Arlanza Branch of the Riverside Public Library (8267 Philbin Ave, Riverside, CA).  She is flanked by small figures of a Japanese woman in traditional costume and a Mexican violinist as well as recognizable locations within Riverside. The artist is Judy Davies, a local talented glass fusion artist. 

Mi Cultura - Mexican Art and Gift Shop Murals

Mi Cultura - The Mexican Art and Gift Shop (3737 6th St, Riverside, CA) has two colorful and striking murals on its interior walls.  They were painted by Juan Navarro @luvmonsterz with some help by Rosy Cortez @paintedrosy.  The last photo shows the congenial owner and proprietor, Elizabeth Becerra, in her shop.

"First Impression" - the Erlangen Cube

In a low tower at the intersection of Mission Inn Avenue and the Main St. pedestrian walkway (just east of 3712 Mission Inn Avenue N-4, Riverside, CA), hangs a sculpture entitled, "First Impression" also known as the Erlangen Cube.  It is a metal cube with thousands of plexiglass pieces that is unremarkable during the day but presumably much more impressive when the lights are turned on.  It was installed in 2016. As described on the Dolphin Talk website, "Dieter Erhard, German artist and proprietor of Art Center Seadrift recently unveiled a new art piece, “First Impression”, in Riverside, the sister city of his hometown, Enlargen [sic Erlangen].  The piece is a cube representing Erlangen hugging the raincross in the form of a bell. It is made of stainless steel and consists of about 2,100 fluorescent plexiglass pieces."  Update: July 2025.  The sculpture is no longer present within the display tower.  

Arete, Goddess of Virtue Statue: Woman Holding a Bird

An old statue of a woman holding a bird on her wrist standing atop a fountain pedestal is sited in front of the old museum (3582 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA) and across from the Cheech Museum.  The plaque at the base of the statue says, "Presented to the City by the W.C.T.U. of Riverside 1907.  The WCTU stands for Woman's Christian Temperance Union, an active religious and temperance organization of that era. A label on the base indicates that the statue is from the J.W. Fiske company of New York which specialized in cast iron and zinc at the second half of the 19th century.  

From a Downtown Riverside Historic Walking Guide produced by Riverside Downtown Partnership, "The Temperance Fountain, which currently sits in front of the museum, was gifted to the City of Riverside by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in 1907. The fountain was originally placed in front of the old YMCA building on University Avenue and Lemon Street and it is likely that the WTCU chose this location in hopes that the fountain would deter young men from visiting the local saloons."

A similar sculpture went up for auction recently with this description, "Fiske garden or drinking fountain with a painted zinc figure of Virtue, standing atop a painted cast iron columnar base. The zinc sculpture of the woman, likely the Greek deity of virtue known as Arete, holding a bird, is possibly after a design by George Fisher & Bro. (1867-1901). The base of the zinc figure reads: J. W. FISKE 26.28 PARK PLACE NEW YORK."