OPPOSITE PAGE : COURTESY OF COMMUNITY ART PROJECT ; THIS PAGE : COURTESY OF THE GOOD OF THE HIVE
Artist Matt Willey ( left ) and his mural , “ The Good of the Hive ” ( above ) on a wall of the Laguna Beach County Water District building
“ THE GOOD OF THE HIVE ” Gracing a wall of the Laguna Beach County Water District on Third Street downtown , artist Matt Willey ’ s mural installation was created in February as part of a global art project of the same name . The piece , commissioned by the Laguna Beach Garden Club , features bees flying around and drinking from a pool of water as well as a blue butterfly , bright yellow daffodil and green plants . “ I am painting 50,000 individual bees — the number in a healthy hive — in murals around the world ,” Willey says . “ The project began in order to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators , but has evolved into a symbol of the connection needed between people and communities in order to heal pollinators , people and the planet .”
LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE 43