Octopus Mural

This has been a Self Funded project thus far minus obtaining the encroachment permit. That was provided by Humboldt County.

Goal is to recoup cost of materials/supplies

The large and long cement retaining wall that runs uphill on Union Street in Eureka CA 95503 (Humboldt County/ Pine Hill neighborhood) has been graffitied on over and over for the last several years. I walk and drive past this wall daily and I have not been able to get out of my mind that a lovely mural belongs here.

Woke up one day and decided I was going to take initiative and ask.

To my pleasant surprise I was graciously given permission.

When people first see my mural, they see a giant octopus—bold, graceful, stretching across a wall. But for me, she is much more than an octopus. She’s a reflection of my own journey, emerging from darkness, tangled but beautiful, pulling myself up, still colorful, still ALIVE. She represents my resilience and my way of reconnecting with parts of myself I thought I lost.

Before I started this project, I was coming out of one of the most challenging seasons of my life, recovering from multiple surgeries, going through life-altering changes, surviving domestic violence, personal loss, and feeling disconnected from myself and from joy. I recently survived a terrible motorcycle crash that left me with both my hands broken, a broken collarbone, and a shattered scapula (shoulder blade). I've had 4 surgeries (so far). I'm proud of myself for taking on such a huge project without letting my recent injuries stop me. I started this project in June while my left hand was still in a cast!

I had to navigate times where I felt like I was drowning emotionally. I decided to do something BRAVE. Picking up a paintbrush again, especially for something as public and permanent as a mural, was both terrifying and healing. I knew I wanted to create something that would shift my mindset and bring beauty not only to me but to my community. This has also opened many doors to conversing with neighbors I never would have before. All the community support and encouragement along the way (honks, waves, stopping for photos and conversations) have really helped keep me motivated and inspired, reminding me that I can, in fact, leave a positive permanent mark anywhere I go. I'm honored and humbled to have this opportunity to give back to the community in this manner.

I have always been fascinated by octopuses—they are incredibly intelligent, survivors, adaptive, and resilient. They can change color to blend in, escape from the smallest inconvenient spaces, and even regenerate limbs when they are attacked or injured. That’s exactly how I have had to live—adapting, surviving, and rebuilding myself after trauma and setbacks.

Each arm of my octopus represents a different part of me that I have had to reclaim: my strength, my creativity, my independence, my vulnerability, my hope, my passion, my community, and my ability to embrace change.

I painted her entirely by hand, with no shortcuts, using only brushes. Every stroke felt like a conversation between her and me. Every stroke felt like I was putting myself back together. There were moments when I doubted myself, moments when I didn’t know if I could bring her to life the way I saw her in my head. Yet each day I showed up, and she slowly emerged, just like I have been emerging in my life. She is helping heal me in ways I never expected. She is a reminder that I can do hard things.

I hope when people see her, they feel inspired to keep going, to adapt, to grow, to heal. I hope she reminds them that even in times when you feel invisible or trapped, you still have the ability to transform. This mural isn’t just for me—it’s for anyone who has been through storms and found a way to keep moving.

She is not just a mural on a wall; she is a piece of my soul and a reminder that beauty can come from struggle.

Aimee Woods