When you’ve gathered your belongings and reassembled yourself after exiting the TSA checkpoint in Terminal 2 West, the first thing you’ll notice is a big splash of color on the walls that looks like what you dream about when you dream about San Diego.

Our bright new mural and its happy co-mural near Gate 26 were painted by a talented local artist, illustrator, and graphic designer named Sarah Tate Ehrich.

When you see the murals, you’ll immediately recognize that Sarah was inspired by the textures and shapes so abundant in our natural environment. Sarah lives just two blocks from the beach and collects images of the wild and wonderful flora and fauna living in and around the Pacific Ocean.

Sarah filters these images through her creative mind, and the resulting artwork is playful, compelling, and full of “OMG! Did she really just paint that palm tree the color of the deep blue sea?” As Sarah was painting, hundreds of passersby stopped to admire the murals, compliment Sarah on her steady hand, and figure out if the green thing on the bottom right is a cactus or a seaweed.

Next time you’re at SAN, we hope you take some time to take in the new murals in Terminal 2. They won’t be there forever, so take lots of photos!