Surfing Madonna, Mosaic artwork near Moonlight Beach, Encinitas, United States

Surfing Madonna is a mosaic artwork depicting the Virgin of Guadalupe riding a surfboard with the message Save the Ocean displayed prominently. The piece uses colored glass and stone to create an intricate composition that measures about 10 feet on each side and sits in a dedicated park space.

The artwork was initially installed secretly by Mark Patterson and Bob Nichols beneath a railroad bridge in 2011 before being removed and relocated to Surfing Madonna Park. This installation sparked a broader movement centered on ocean protection that the creators have continued to develop.

The mosaic depicts the Virgin of Guadalupe, a figure central to Mexican Catholic devotion, standing on a white surfboard with her green cloak blowing in the wind. Reactions were divided: some Catholic and Latino residents found it offensive, while others saw it as a symbol of their Mexican heritage. A local Catholic priest liked the work and asked that a church be allowed to display it.

The mosaic now stands across the street from its original rail-bridge spot, at Surfing Madonna Park on the corner of Highway 101 and Encinitas Boulevard, beside Leucadia Pizzeria. It faces the street in the open air, so it can be viewed at any hour; the vertical "SAVE THE OCEAN" strip runs along the left edge of the blue-tiled panel.

When the city spent $2,000 on a consultant to plan a non-destructive removal, the review uncovered part of Mark Patterson's name beneath the glass, prompting him to come forward. The mosaic then came down in about 90 minutes with minimal damage, and the city let him keep it.