The Port of San Diego has selected Southern California-based artist Nicole Marie Pete to create artwork for a new splash pad planned at Portwood Pier Plaza in Imperial Beach, marking the latest step in a broader effort to enhance and activate the waterfront area surrounding the Imperial Beach Pier.
The selection follows a call for professional artists issued by the Port in October 2025, which invited applicants from San Diego, Imperial, Orange, and Riverside counties to submit proposals to visually enhance a mechanical enclosure adjacent to the future splash pad. Nearly 50 applications were reviewed by a selection panel that included members of the Imperial Beach Arts Committee and the Port’s Arts, Culture & Design Committee. After interviews with top candidates, three finalists were recommended, with Pete ultimately chosen by the Port’s Arts, Culture & Design Committee.
Pete’s proposal includes two murals — one on each side of the splash pad’s mechanical enclosure — designed to celebrate Imperial Beach’s cultural heritage, environmental significance, and community traditions. The artwork will incorporate themes of play, imagination, education, and connection, aligning with the family-friendly nature of the new splash pad and the surrounding public space.
Under the agreement, Pete will receive up to $20,000 to develop her artistic concept and produce the final artwork files. The Port of San Diego will cover all installation costs associated with placing the artwork on the enclosure.
The splash pad is part of a series of ongoing improvements at the Imperial Beach Pier and Portwood Pier Plaza led by the Port and the City of Imperial Beach. In April 2024, the Board of Port Commissioners approved the addition of the splash pad project as part of efforts to beautify and activate the waterfront. Construction is expected to begin in early March, with completion anticipated by December 2026.
Nicole Marie Pete is a digital artist whose work explores Native American identity through a contemporary lens. A full-blooded Navajo (Diné) and an enrolled member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), Pete draws heavily from her heritage, with her maternal clan being Bitter Water (Todích’íí’nii) and being born for the Big Water clan (Tot’soh’nii). Inspired early on by her grandfather, Pete has illustrated children’s books focused on preserving the Navajo language, contributed to Native-centered publications, and created cover art celebrating Indigenous perspectives. Her work blends respect for ancestral traditions with modern digital storytelling aimed at educating and engaging diverse audiences.
The splash pad and accompanying artwork are expected to become a new focal point at Portwood Pier Plaza, further strengthening Imperial Beach’s connection to its waterfront and community-centered public spaces.
