The first Esco Alley murals just before their unveiling two years ago.

For Heather Moe, the mystery offered by hidden places in back alleys sparked a childhood fascination that has now grown into an Escondido Art exhibit. Moe, who is co-owner of Design Moe Kitchen & Bath, grew up in the Atwater area of Los Angeles, riding her bike through the city’s back lanes, away from its traffic and noise. There, her mind was free to wander along with her bike, and the alleys became a land of discovery and surprise.

“I often biked down alleys as a kid, and I still go down alleys,” says Moe. “I am surprised and delighted by which way they turn. It’s mysterious. A sudden glimpse over someone’s fence: a huge tree, a beautiful garden, an old shed all tricked out with lights. There is always the element of surprise. It’s like finding a secret garden.”

This interest in lovely discoveries in out-of-the-way places led to the creation of Esco Alley Art, a concept that has generated a vibrant collection of murals in the alleys of Escondido. Escondido famously means “hidden,” and Moe realized that the rustic brick wall along the lane behind her former place of business would be the perfect spot for displaying the off-the-beaten-path project’s first creations. With the help of Escondido artist Suzanne Nicolaisen, a small committee was formed to bring Esco Alley Art to life.

Heather Moe

Each artist was given free rein to paint whatever they wanted on plywood panels that were then fastened to the walls in the alleys south of Grand Avenue between Maple and Kalmia Streets. (Later panels were made from an aluminum composite.) The public outdoor display gave a special kind of exposure to the artists’ work; some of the pieces sold, and artists such as Brenda Gunderson Townsend and Mauro Alvarez can credit the project with helping to start their careers.

The project began in June 2021 with 11 murals. By the middle of this year, more then 50 pieces hung in the alleys. And at 4 pm on September 9, eleven more murals were unveiled, extending the outdoor art exhibit further east to the alley between Kalmia and Juniper. The public was invited to help celebrate Esco Alley Art’s third season — the opening of which coincided with Escondido Mayor Dane White’s birthday. Happily, that meant cake, donated by Cute Cakes and The Grand Tea Room.

Enthusiasm for Esco Alley Art has been great enough that plans are being made to fill the alley north of Grand Avenue with larger and more impactful pieces — including a creation by an international artist. It would not be the city’s first such installation. Already, the mesmerizing, internationally acclaimed Queen Califia’s Magical Circle sculpture garden stands like a phantasmagorical retreat at the end of a dusty road in Kit Carson Park. The work, from sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle, is one of three throughout the world, each unique.

For its part, Esco Alley Art has already dipped a toe into international waters with a piece that can be found tucked away in a corner of downtown’s Maple Square: the America Connects West mural mosaic, created by over 1500 participants from all over North America.