Capturing the Spirit of Southern Monterey County: Mee Memorial Healthcare System Announces Vibrant Mural Celebrating Local Beauty and Community

 

KING CITY, Calif.—Mee Memorial Healthcare System announced on Monday, March 25 a new mural in King City.

 

Artists Paul Richmond and Brenda Scettrini-Saglio designed the scene, located at 809 Broadway Street, facing Canal Street, which showcases Southern Monterey County's natural beauty and vibrant community. It depicts rolling hills, abundant agriculture, native wildflowers, and butterflies. 

 

The project is a collaboration between the artists, King City in Bloom, and King City High School. King City in Bloom volunteers will plant native flowering plants beneath the mural in continuance of its theme, and KCHS students plan to fabricate metal butterfly sculptures to decorate the area.

 

Located in the heart of King City, the mural is a tribute to Southern Monterey County's beauty and rich heritage. It celebrates the essence of rural life, civic pride, and positivity.

 

"We are grateful to everyone who played a part in bringing this project to life," said Mee Memorial CEO Rena Salamacha. "It is a testament to what we can achieve when we come together with a shared vision and passion for our community."

 

One of the artists, Brenda Scettrini-Saglio, is a retired Physician Assistant who provided medical care for several Mee Memorial employees and their families. "Brenda came to mind immediately when we were looking for local artists to complete this project," said Alicia Crespo, MMHS Facilities Coordinator and former patient of Ms. Scettrini-Saglio. "We wanted to create a beautiful mural that celebrates nature and reflects the strong sense of community that defines Southern Monterey County."

 

The project was made possible by the generous support of the Arts Council for Monterey County (Arts4MC) and the Community Foundation for Monterey County.

 

The mission of Arts4MC is to improve the quality of life for everyone in our region through the arts. The Community Foundation for Monterey County provides grants to create healthy, safe, vibrant communities in Monterey County and beyond. "We are so pleased to support the healthcare system in South County and to make the mural possible — encouraging a warm welcome to clinic patients," said Janet Shing, Director of Grantmaking with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.

 

The mural will be formally unveiled later in the year when the new Mee Memorial Children's Health and Wellness Center, located in the building, officially opens.

 

About the Artists:

 

Mural artist Paul Richmond is an internationally recognized visual artist and activist whose career has included exhibitions in galleries and museums throughout the United States as well as publication in numerous art journals and anthologies. His work is collected by individuals around the globe. As an illustrator, he has created over four hundred novel cover illustrations. He co-founded the You Will Rise Project, an organization that empowers those who have experienced bullying to speak out creatively through art. He is the Executive Director of Art Makes Us, a virtual creative space that provides opportunities for individuals to discover and nurture the artist within. Paul lives in Monterey, California, and is represented by Muse Art Services.

 

Brenda Scettrini-Saglio is an artist, muralist, and human rights activist. She is a member of Art Against Bullying, a retired Physician Assistant, and lives in Monterey County.

 

About Mee Memorial Healthcare System www.meememorial.com

 

Mee Memorial Healthcare System is committed to providing culturally sensitive and patient-centered healthcare delivered with the highest quality of service.

 

The Mee network includes a hospital in King City with emergency services, acute care services, surgical services, skilled nursing, transitional care, rehabilitative services, and diagnostic imaging services, among others. The system also has several comprehensive outpatient clinics, an occupational health services clinic, and the Albert and Donna Oliveira Clinic, a full-service primary care facility in the city of Greenfield.

 

MMHS is the primary healthcare organization serving the rural communities of Southern Monterey County. Our healthcare professionals serve a population of nearly 80,000 within an area spanning over 55 miles between the agricultural communities of Soledad and Bradley.