"Healing and Hope" Mural Project at Pasadena Buddhist Temple (Source: Pasadena Buddhist Temple Newsletter on Feb. 6, 2026)
PASADENA, CA - A new community mural at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple has become a powerful symbol of recovery and collective healing following the devastating Eaton Fire, which affected the Altadena and Pasadena areas in January 2025.
Titled the “Healing and Hope” Mural Project, the large-scale artwork is a community-led installation created to support residents and neighbors impacted by the wildfire. The project reached a major milestone with its official dedication ceremony held on Sunday, March 22, 2026, marking both an artistic achievement and an emotional turning point for those involved.
"Healing and Hope" Mural Project at Pasadena Buddhist Temple (Source: Pasadena Buddhist Temple Newsletter on Feb. 13, 2026)
The mural was led by Miki Yokoyama, a self-taught artist and Altadena resident who lost her home and nearly her entire body of work in the Eaton Fire. Her leadership brought personal resonance to the project, shaping it as both an artistic endeavor and a space for shared remembrance and renewal.
The vision for the mural originated with Kyoko Gibbs, wife of the temple’s spiritual leader, Reverend Gregory Gibbs. After the Pasadena Buddhist Temple narrowly escaped destruction during the fire, she imagined a collaborative artwork that would help the broader community process collective trauma through creativity and participation.
"Healing and Hope" Mural Project at Pasadena Buddhist Temple (Source: Pasadena BWA Newsletter on March 3, 2026)
Spanning approximately 75 feet in length and 6 feet in height, the mural is painted on the temple’s north wall. Its imagery reflects the surrounding local landscape, native plants, the temple itself, and neighboring houses of worship—some of which survived the fire, and others that were lost. The composition is rendered in warm, calming tones of gold, blue, and green, reinforcing the project’s themes of resilience and hope.
Unlike a traditional commissioned artwork, the mural was painted by about 70 volunteers, including fire survivors, temple members, and local neighbors. Community painting sessions were held three times a week beginning in February 2026, allowing participants to contribute their own brushstrokes and signatures, and transforming the mural into a collective expression of remembrance and solidarity.
The project received essential support from local organizations. Keiro provided financial assistance for painting materials and supplies, while the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) was recognized for offering compassionate support to those affected during the recovery process.
Now a permanent fixture on the temple grounds, the mural remains accessible to the public. While organized painting sessions concluded with the March 22 unveiling, visitors are generally welcome to view the artwork whenever the main gate on Glen Avenue is open or during scheduled temple activities, allowing the mural’s message of healing and hope to continue reaching the wider community.
