• Traffic rolls past the image of a face created on a dry patch of hillside along the east side of Highway 101 in San Rafael between the St. Vincent Drive exit and the Novato line on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

  • The eye of a face created on a dry hillside along Highway 101 in San Rafael between the St. Vincent Drive exit and the Novato line on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

  • Traffic rolls past the image of a face created on a dry hill along the east side of Highway 101 in San Rafael between the St. Vincent Drive exit and the Novato line on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

  • Traffic rolls past the image of a face created on a dry hill along the east side of Highway 101 in San Rafael between the St. Vincent Drive exit and the Novato line on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

A detailed depiction of a woman’s face has suddenly appeared on a hillside along Highway 101 in San Rafael, and the community is abuzz with curiosity about the mystery.

“It was done unbeknownst to us in the darkness of the night,” said Liza Cardinal Hand, a spokeswoman for Catholic Charities, an organization that operates the St. Vincent’s School for Boys and owns the property.

It’s not clear when the face was created, but the mystery artist or artists did trespass on private property, she said. While the organization is not going to the authorities, she said, it would like those responsible to come forward or stop.

“We are always encouraging of creativity and art,” she said. “But in this instance, nobody has contacted us and it is private land.”

On Friday, she said hair had been added to the portrait. She said the organization is prepared to be open-minded should anyone come forward.

“We would be up for considering all options,” she said.

For now, it has the makings of a classic whodunit.

“I have no idea what it’s about, how it was made, why it was made, what it’s made of, I just don’t know,” said Eric Dreikosen, manager of the Marinwood Community Services District.

Darin White, chief of the San Rafael and Marinwood fire departments, said he asked a crew to go check it out.

“It’s nothing but paint,” he said, noting that fire officials have no worries about fire danger. “It’s not any more of a concern than the dry fuel itself.”

California Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Barclay said it’s not a concern from a driver distraction standpoint either.

“It’s more of a, ‘huh, that’s new,’ and drive on” type thing, Barclay said.

Others seem to enjoy it, including Marinwood resident Bill McNicholas.

“It gives me something to look forward to heading north out of Marinwood,” he said. “Can’t get a good look at it when you’re driving, so I stopped and looked. I think it’s great.”

Gabriella Calicchio, director of the county’s department of cultural services, said she’s of a similar opinion.

“The mysterious face on the side of a hill on a very busy freeway in Marin County is exactly the kind of public art that I love to see, surprising, inspiring and aesthetically pleasing,” she said. “Public art fosters pride and contributes to a community’s identity in addition to adding enormous value to the cultural and aesthetic vitality of our county.”