'Surfing Madonna' May Soon Have New Encinitas Home

The "Surfing Madonna" may again be riding a wave of popularity in Encinitas as early as next month.

Artist and creator Mark Patterson, who was forced to remove the 10-foot-square stained glass mosaic from its public location under a railroad crossing on Encinitas Boulevard on June 22, says he has settled on three private and visible sites along Coast Highway 101 in the city that are willing to display his artwork. It will be at least a month before he decides where he will reinstall the piece, he told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Patterson removed the mosaic after reaching an agreement with the city last month to take the art down and reimburse all municipal costs, while the city acknowledged Patterson’s ownership of the work and his preference to relocate it within Encinitas.

The mosaic depicts Our Lady of Guadalupe riding a surfboard, with the words “Save the Ocean” down the left side. It first appeared at its original site in April and became a popular draw. The 58-year-old Patterson, an Encinitas resident, said that he had hoped to send a message about preserving our oceans.

City officials had said the work was installed illegally and defaced public property. A Twitter account and Facebook support page were created in the "Surfing Madonna" name after its popularity quickly grew.