A mural of “Mission Garden — San Juan Capistrano,” a reproduction of the painting by well-known Orange County artist and rancher Nellie Gail Moulton was unveiled on Aug. 11, 2023, at the Ortega Capistrano Trading Post.
The 12 by 15-foot vinyl replica of the painting captures the time and culture of the city of San Juan Capistrano through the lens of an important figure in Orange County’s history.
The original painting by Moulton was completed circa 1920 and is a “plein air landscape,” meaning a painting of the outdoors, that studies the interior courtyard of the historic Mission of San Juan Capistrano.
Due to the size of the painting, the mural required a city permit and approval by the San Juan Capistrano Planning Commission.
The Alliance of San Juan Art, a local art organization hoping to bring art history back to San Juan Capistrano, organized the mural.
