Officials in Encitas, California removed a stained-glass mosaic depicting a surfing Madonna that a local artist illegally installed under a railroad bridge. A crew took the mosiac down on Wednesday, following a about what to do with the artwork. Ultimately, artist Mark Patterson agreed to pay removal costs of around $2,600 and find a new location for the piece, which appeared shortly before Easter and depicts the Virgin Mary on a surfboard. Patterson created the mosiac over nine months and used it to bring attention to ocean conservation. (The words “Save the Oceans” appear next to the Madonna.) Patterson stepped forward as the creator after his name was discovered at the top of the work. The mosaic was not damaged during removal, and Patterson says he’ll now focus on finding it a permanent home.
Read more at the .