The Springs wONEder Project has transformed the otherwise dreary stretch of Highway 12 that is north of the town of Sonoma. Plain Jane's is no longer plain. Armando's Auto makes a typical oil change look less typical. El Brinquito's piñata chicken statue is the true El Pollo Loco, adding color to the community. The Sonoma Salon&La Tienda Iniquez have become glorious, colorful works of art. La Michoacana, which once had a bland beige exterior, is now a fiesta for the eyes (along with the mouth)
The Springs wONEder Project is the brain child of Sebastopol artist Rico Martin. He had long experience doing ad campaigns&rebranding with companies like HBO, Cinemax, the Discovery Channel, the AIDS Walk, and he helped make "the Springs" north of Sonoma into a vibrant area. Martin transformed this often bypassed stretch of road.
Tragically, Martin passed away recently not far from Mt. Shasta- http://www.sonomanews.com/news/7258514-181/family-says-rico-martin-dies?artslide=0
One can only hope that the wONEder Project lives on, as vibrant as the brilliant buildings that have sprung up in the Springs. read more