Artist Thanks Neighborhood Council for Helping Restore ‘Tai Chi’ Murals

A little more than two months after Roger Dolin spent nearly a week in sweltering weather restoring a swath of colorful murals vandalized by graffiti on the northern stretch of Figueroa Street, the Van Nuys-based artist finally got a chance to thank the project’s benefactor.

On Tuesday, January 10, Dolin appeared at the monthly board meeting of the at the , to thank the Eagle Rock community for providing $2,500 for restoring the so-called “Tai Chi” murals that he painted in 2004.

Dolin said he was surprised by how many community members—especially children—volunteered to help him during his restoration project. "The murals meant a lot to people," he said, adding that many people take the stairs leading up the hill from Figueroa Street.

He was also surprised at the nerve of taggers—parts of the mural were defaced while he was still working on their restoration.

The City of Los Angeles covered the murals with a protective coat that lasts about 10 years and allows the artwork to be washed. But some of the graffiti was so prominent (see photos) that Dolin had to paint over it.

The Tai Chi dancers of Eagle Rock were Dolin’s first mural project—and they have a special meaning for him: His father passed away while he was working on the project eight years ago.