A major new public mural is nearing completion in downtown Santa Ana, where students and alumni from the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) are painting a large‑scale tribute to ballet folklórico culture above 305 E. 4th St., directly over Wursthaus.
The project marks OCSA’s 40th year in Santa Ana and celebrates a partnership with Relámpago del Cielo, the folklórico organization approaching its 50th anniversary in 2026.
Over five decades, Relámpago has reached more than 400,000 participants and now teaches 15,000 students annually, making this mural a meeting point between two of the city’s longest‑running arts institutions.
Founded in 1987, OCSA is one of Orange County’s most respected public arts conservatories, offering pre‑professional training in dance, visual arts, music, theatre, creative writing and more.
The OC School of the Arts grads are painting daily — starting after 2 p.m. due to extreme heat — and working late into the evening. The muralist says the team expects to finish by Halloween, when the Mayor of Santa Ana is scheduled to attend a major unveiling event.
OCSA CEO Teren Shaffer Visits the Mural Site
During the painting sessions, Teren Shaffer, Chief Executive Officer of OCSA, visited the site to meet the student artists, alumni volunteers and muralist Eric Michael.
Shaffer, a longtime arts educator and nonprofit leader, previously served as OCSA’s Dean of Arts Conservatories and Executive Vice President before becoming CEO.
He is known for expanding community partnerships, strengthening arts programming and championing public‑facing creative projects that connect OCSA students with the broader Orange County community. His presence at the mural site underscored the school’s commitment to cultural storytelling, youth mentorship and downtown Santa Ana’s arts identity.
Lead Muralist Eric Michael, Cultural Consultant Marlene Peña‑Marín, and OCSA Alumni Support
The mural is led by Southern California artist Eric Michael, whose work focuses on large‑scale public art, floral compositions and youth‑driven collaborations. His official artist profile is available through the ArtsLB listing, which documents his past murals and community projects.
For this installation, Michael partnered closely with Marlene Peña‑Marín of Relámpago del Cielo, who helped shape the cultural direction of the piece. Peña‑Marín ensured the dancers’ poses, attire and movement reflected authentic ballet folklórico traditions, grounding the mural in Santa Ana’s heritage.
Michael also faced an unexpected technical challenge: the building’s structure prevented him from using a standard projector to scale the artwork. Instead, he turned to virtual‑reality tools, using VR glasses to map proportions and placement directly onto the wall. This allowed him to guide OCSA students — along with several OCSA graduates who returned to assist — in outlining the dancers with precision before paint ever touched the surface. The combination of Peña‑Marín’s cultural expertise, Michael’s innovative VR‑based workflow, and alumni support shaped the mural into a blend of tradition, technology and community mentorship.
Developer Ryan Chase Gives Personal Approval
The building’s owner, Santa Ana developer Ryan Chase, personally approved the project, adding another layer of local support. Chase has been involved in multiple downtown revitalization efforts, and his backing helped secure the prominent 4th Street location for the mural.
CBS Los Angeles Covers the Mural
The mural has already drawn media attention. CBS Los Angeles visited the site, filmed the artists at work, and interviewed OCSA alumni assisting with the project. Their segment shows the mural in progress above Wursthaus and highlights the collaboration between OCSA and Relámpago del Cielo. CBS LA video link.
Santa Ana’s Mural Landscape
Santa Ana is one of Orange County’s most mural‑rich cities, especially in the downtown arts corridor. Comparable works include:
- La Chiquita Mural — A cultural landmark celebrating Mexican heritage on 4th Street.
- Calle Cuatro Murals — Rotating works by local artists reflecting Santa Ana’s diverse communities.
- Fiesta Marketplace Murals — Chicano‑influenced pieces in the historic shopping district.
- OCSA Student Murals — Prior student projects featuring folklórico dancers, floral motifs and abstract color studies.
These murals collectively reinforce Santa Ana’s identity as a center for Latino arts, youth creativity and public storytelling.
Murals in Orange County: Data & Trends
Public mural creation has grown significantly across Orange County over the past decade. Key points include:
- More than 200 documented public murals countywide.
- Santa Ana accounts for 25–30% of all OC murals, making it the county’s densest mural city.
- Youth‑created murals have increased by approximately 40% since 2018, driven by school partnerships and nonprofit arts programs.
- Cultural‑heritage murals — especially those depicting Mexican, Chicano and Central American traditions — remain one of the fastest‑growing categories.
The OCSA–Relámpago mural fits squarely within these trends: youth‑driven, culturally rooted and publicly accessible.
Why This Mural Matters
- Honors Santa Ana’s folklórico legacy.
- Celebrates OCSA’s 40 years in the city.
- Marks Relámpago del Cielo’s 50th anniversary.
- Brings student and alumni artists into a real-world public art project.
- Adds a new cultural landmark to the downtown arts corridor.
- Demonstrates innovative VR‑assisted mural design.
- Receives direct support from a major Santa Ana developer.
- Gains early coverage from CBS Los Angeles.
- Will be unveiled with the Mayor of Santa Ana this Halloween.