The 55-foot-high mural with the red, blue, yellow and white backdrop that adorns a Costa Mesa apartment complex under construction along the 55 freeway is as striking as it is detailed.

“Welcome” is etched above a woman with a lotus flower in her hair and “Independence” is written sideways near an angel holding another blossom. There’s also a dove and surfers riding waves on the 7,000-square-foot canvas at the Baker Block apartments at 125 E. Baker St.

Artist Shepard Fairey began work on “Welcome Home” last week and completed it Thursday, Oct. 5. Fairey is known for his OBEY art campaign and clothing brand and for designing the iconic “Hope” poster that features former president Barack Obama that came to symbolize his 2008 campaign.

“It is an incredible opportunity to have work that is so visible,” Fairey said in an email to the Register. “There is a lot of detail work but also a lot of bold, impactful images that can be enjoyed from afar. What I hope is that people who enjoy it also come to understand how positively art impacts the community and will come to support more of it.”

Developer CityView brought Fairey into the project to beautify the walls of the 240-unit complex.

“We were thrilled to bring in Shepard Fairey, not only a world-renowned street artist but a local Orange County business owner, as well, to beautify the walls and infuse the project with his rebel spirit,” CityView CEO Sean Burton said in a statement.

Describing it as vibrant, Mayor Katrina Foley said the mural will add to Costa Mesa’s reputation of being a destination city.

The mural required 460 cans of spray paint and stretches 136 feet wide. Fairey said the design is a mix of several visual themes and motifs from his work, showing the beauty and openness of humanity and nature while recognizing the area’s surf culture.

Several onlookers were seen taking photos of the almost-finished product during a visit by a reporter.

“The mural is a tourist attraction in and of itself,” Foley said. “It also elevates us to a city that’s about creativity and culture… it’s not just about shopping anymore.”

She even convinced Fairey to put the city’s motto, “City of the Arts,” atop the mural, which he said he was happy to do.

The privately funded project is the latest in a string of public art pieces throughout the city. Several utility boxes are emblazoned with images of flowers, sunsets and surfers as part of the city’s beautification program.

Floyd’s 99 Barbershop on 17 St. features a 45-foot mural on its outer wall with images of Costa Mesa businesses and notable people associated with the city.

“I find art in public spaces really exciting,” Fairey said. “It can reel people into being interested in art when they might not have the opportunity otherwise.”

Fairey’s work will hopefully inspire other art projects in Costa Mesa, Foley said.

Baker Block is slated to open in November.