Vista, CA –A new sculpture has been installed in the middle of the recently completed roundabout located at S. Santa Fe Avenue and Pala Vista Drive in the Paseo Santa Fe corridor. The “Portal” sculpture depicts a hummingbird inside of an arch with flowers on each side of the structure’s base. 

The City received 13 submittals by eight artists in response to an artist call in March, 2020. In June, 2020, the “Portal” sculpture was selected by the Public Arts Commission. The hummingbird piece is kinetic and will spin in light to moderate winds. At night, the piece is illuminated by solar LED strips attached to the top inside of the arch, lighting the way for travelers entering Vista through the roundabout. The overall height and width of the sculpture is 10 feet by 3 feet in depth.  Vista artist Alex Gall of Gall Artworks designed and installed the sculpture.   

The area, known as Paseo Santa Fe, encompasses the S. Santa Fe Avenue corridor between Vista Village Drive and Civic Center Drive. The roundabout was constructed as part of Phase III of the Paseo Santa Fe Street Improvement project. The Paseo Santa Fe street improvements along S. Santa Fe Avenue is nearing completion with the project contractors finishing minor construction items as part of the project punch list by early 2021. The full construction of the Pala Vista Drive roundabout is expected in the winter of 2021 due to difficulties with purchasing an adjacent private street easement.