Alebrijes in the Haight

 Posted by on November 12, 2012
Nov 122012
 

1301 Haight Street

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Jet Martinez, whose work is all over San Francisco is responsible for these colorful frogs.  It is titled Bosque de Alebrijes.

This is what Jet said on his Facebook page: Alebrijes are small animal figurines decorated with beautiful colors and patterns. They are really incredible on their own, but what is truly inspiring to me about them, is the fact that entire communities in Oaxaca will dedicate themselves to making this artform and have created an economy around the art they create. The art in turn, defines the community and creates the visual identity of the place. It’s deep and it’s incredibly inspiring to me as a maker. I wanted to celebrate that tradition, and give life to these animals… in a sense, give life to this community.

Alebrijes: The first alebrijes, along with use of the term, originated with Pedro Linares. After dreaming the creatures while sick in the 1930s, he began to create what he saw in cardboard and paper mache. His work caught the attention of a gallery owner in Cuernavaca and later, the artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Linares was originally from México City, he was born June 29, 1906 in México City and never moved out of México City, he died January 25, 1992.

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Honoring San Francisco Vets

 Posted by on November 11, 2012
Nov 112012
 
Tenderloin
Shannon Alley
between Geary and O’Farrell
These murals were done in 2011 around Veterans Day.  They are part of the SF Vets Mural Project.  According to their website: The alley will contain murals painted by veterans which will tell their story.  The significance of this alley is that the art regarding veterans is very often done by artists that are not veterans.  This alley will give veterans a permanent voice and presence within the community.  The SF veterans alley will work with all veterans regardless of discharge status, gender, sexual orientation, theater of conflict or time period served.  Any veteran worldwide will have an opportunity to propose and paint their own mural in this alley.
Apparently this alley was chosen because it was where vets come to shoot up.
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This mural is titled “Torn Constitution”  It is by Randy L. Figures  USS San Jacinto Desert Storm Crew.

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This mural, titled Wage Slave was done by Bryon Parker and LN, KS and DM.

And the lucky few go home by Reuben Santos
At dusk he stood
highlighted as he dragged his cigarette
smoke and ash swayed
thunder flash white
a protective arm cradled his head
he got up, stunned and staggered
and ran way
“Medic” was all he yelled
we are away
as he screams
we checked machine guns
rotated turrets
and looked for signs from our attacker
I am away
away on a Mission
in the compound
run to aid the fallen
and he screamed
the medics cut his clothes
they pick shards from his back
each pick a wince
dust cleared,
and only one was not standing
two medics on either side of him
they sway with his sway
as his back is draped in a red cape
and I watched
and I watch perched
and everything slips away

The last panel reads:
Veterans are the light at the tip of the candle, illuminating the way for the whole nation.  If Veterans can achieve awareness, transformation, understanding and peace, they can share with the rest of society the realities of war.  And they can teach us how to make peace with ourselves and each other, so we never have to use violence to resolve conflicts again.   Thicht Nhat Hanh

The local television station ran a great program about this area, if you would like to view that you can click here.

 

The Jungle on Clarion Alley

 Posted by on November 3, 2012
Nov 032012
 

Clarion Alley
The Mission

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This gorgeous woman is by BODE.  This mural is in Clarion Alley in the Mission District.

Clarion Alley runs just south of 17th Street from Mission to Valencia.

CAMP, or the Clarion Alley Mural Project originated in 1982, inspired by San Francisco’s Balmy Avenue just down the street. None of the artists that formed CAMP had participated in the Balmy Alley project, nor did any of them have any background in mural projects. There is no theme to the alley or what artists are allowed to paint.  Once an artist is given space, and as long as it is maintained it pretty much belongs to the artist.  There is a committee that notifies the artist if the mural has been tagged or defaced.

The Clarion Alley area has an ethnically diverse set of residents and owners, but it is also the site of serious drug dealing and substance abuse, and is frequently used as an outdoor toilet. Although Clarion opens onto Valencia Street directly across from a new district police station, that has had no impact on the alley’s illicit users.

It was hoped that if the alley became the site of artwork which brought visitors, then its “inhabitants” would be inclined to go elsewhere to defecate and shoot up, there is some indication that this is happening, but not fully.

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Mark Bode is the son of legendary Vaughn Bode, and is a prolific and highly successful artist in his own right.


 

 

A beautiful fairy on the side of Harrington’s Pub

 Posted by on October 26, 2012
Oct 262012
 

Harry Harrington’s Pub
The Tenderloin
460 Larkin Street

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This mural on Harry Harrington’s pub is a collaboration Max Ehrman who goes by the name EON75, and English artists Faunagraphic and Rocket01.

Faunagraphic currently lives and works in Sheffield, South Yorkshire England, She grew up in Yorkshire, surrounded by rolling countryside in a small town called Todmorden; it is clear where her inspiration came from. Her beautiful and delicate paintings feature birds organic shapes, animals, nature and character with an element of fantasy.

 Rocket01 grew up in the countryside on the edge of Sheffield, where there was no murals or graffiti back in the 1980’s.  Rocket01 began his graffiti timeline by painting tracksides and abandoned buildings around the area. He completed a degree in Fine Art in 2003 and has since been painting with his partner Faunagraphic.
 Max Ehrman or EON (extermination of normality) 75 grew up in Florida, he received a masters in architecture from the Dessau Institute in Germany.
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Sirron Norris Paints Calumet

 Posted by on October 22, 2012
Oct 222012
 

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As you can see, this piece by Sirron Norris is huge.

This is what Sirron had to say about the piece before it began.  (The scaffolding came down on August 31st).

This mural will be funded by Calumet and will be a collaboration with Precita Eyes (www.precitaeyes.org)and the 3.9 art collective (www.threepointninecollective.com).

My hope with this project, is to reach out to other artists and arts organizations in my community through collaboration. I also want to inspire my interns and give them one of the biggest challenges in their artistic life. On a personal note: this will be one for the books and will push my talent and experience to it’s fullest. I know the team I have at the gallery and the invaluable experience Precita eyes has, will help accomplish this massive undertaking. Keep posted for updates as we move closer to starting.

MURAL UPDATE: SF master muralists Jet Martinez & Apex will join us on the Calumet mural project!

Sirron Norris was born in Cleveland, Ohio.  After graduating from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Sirron traveled extensively through out the United States, eventually settling down in San Francisco in 1997.  Initially, Sirron worked as a production artist in the video game industry while he perfected his skill set as a fine artist.  In 1999, Sirron quickly gained notoriety from his first showing at The Luggage Store, a well-known leader in the “mission school “ art movement.   Shortly thereafter, Sirron received his first artist in residence from the De Young Museum.   That year, Sirron’s career propelled into the limelight and today is known as one of San Francisco’s most notable artists.

Here is a great video of Sirron and this particular piece.

 

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Asian Pacific Celebration

 Posted by on September 24, 2012
Sep 242012
 

San Francisco State University
Lakeside

ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER MURAL David Cho & Albert Yip

Created in 2004, The Asian & Pacific Islander Mural tells the story of hard-working and determined people who fought for the rights of their community, as well as honoring those who continue the fight today.

Among the people included on the mural are: Yuri Kochiyama, Angel Santos, Mohandas Gandhi, Tupua Tamasese, Queen Liliuokalani, Queen Salote, Lakshmi Bai, Larry Dulay Itliong, Ahn Chang Ho and Haunani-Kay Trask.

The Japanese American Redress and Reparations, Third World Strike at SFSU, Chinatown Red Guard Party and the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan also appear on the mural, as well as a kava bowl, a central tree with Elephants of Laos, rice stalks and a dove.

Kochiyama, who is a Bay Area native, is a strong voice for ethnic studies and workers’ rights and works towards reparations for the Japanese-Americans incarcerated during World War II. She is shown on the mural with her fist held tightly in the air.

Surrounding Kochiyama on the mural are Gandhi, Santos – who served as democratic senator in the Guam legislatures; former Samoan Head of State Tamasese – who was one of the framers of the Constitution of Samoa; and the depiction of rice stalks and a dove – which are symbolic of peace.

The last monarch of the Hawai’ian islands, Queen Liliuokalani, sits near a central tree with three Elephants of Laos, which represent the different regions and cultures of Laos, and a large kava bowl, which signifies unity and hospitality.

Also shown on the mural is Queen Salote, who was the Queen of Tonga from 1918-1965, and was the last monarch in Polynesia. Positioned near Salote is Bai, who was the queen of a principality called Jhansi in northern India in the 17th century. Only in her 20s, she was a great heroine of India’s War of Independence in 1857 against the British. Embodying nationalism and heroism, she died in the revolt.

The far right of the mural features Itliong who was the founder of the Filipino Farm Labor Union in California in 1956, cofounder of the United Farm Workers of America, and a key organizer and vice president of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. Near him is Ho, who established the Young Korean Association, and was a leader and organizer in the early Korean American community and Korean Independence Movement. Lastly, Trask is shown with her fist clenched in the air. She is a professor of Hawai’ian Studies at the University of Hawai’i and a Native Hawaiian nationalist.

The mural was commissioned by the Student Center Governing Board and is located on the South Plaza of Cesar Chavez Student Center.

 

Dancing Dahlias on Claude Lane

 Posted by on August 27, 2012
Aug 272012
 

8 Claude Lane

Union Square/Financial District

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This mural, (on  the outside of Claudine Restaurant) is by Vogue TDK.  According to an interview he did with 1:AM he got into graffiti in late 1984, after school, I turned on the TV to the local PBS station and caught the start of the documentary “Style Wars”.  There was a scene where there was a MTA train moving down the tracks, then the train curves to show some graff and that was it.  I was hooked and knew that is what I was going to do.

As far as why he is the artist he is today: I always did some sort of art throughout school.  With the help of my parents, after graduating high school, I attended Academy of Arts in San Francisco, majoring in graphic design.  After two years of that, I switched majors to illustration for another two years.  During my schooling at the Academy, I incorporated my spray painting in both my homework and random jobs. A lot of what I learned at school translated on to the constant painting I did at the 23rd Oakland tracks.  On the flip side, what I learned from my fellow graff peers and what I learned on my own also started appearing in my schoolwork.

 The mural that flows to the interior of the restaurant is by Leon Loucheur, who is responsible for the Make Moves mural in SOMA.   Leon is part of the Chamber Made Group.

American Indian Occupation in the Tenderloin

 Posted by on July 16, 2012
Jul 162012
 
The Tenderloin/Polk Gulch
Austin at Polk
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American Indian Occupation by Jaque Fragua and Spencer Keaton Cunningham
Jaque Fragua is an acclaimed multi-media artist from New Mexico. From his cultural background, he has developed a yearning for creativity and for the intrinsic process that is Art. Experimenting with various mediums, such as aerosol, found-objects, earthworks, poetry, & music, messages of civil unrest, social justice, emotional introspection, and personal healing have heartened his unique perspective on life through art. Fragua has studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts, and in turn, has taught many community-based workshops, such as mural projects/public-art studies, and studio classes for figure drawing & painting. Fragua has worked with fine establishments such as Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Institute of American Indian Arts, & Museum of Indian Arts & Culture to produce progressive/innovative exhibits concerning the plight of Native America.
Spencer Keeton Cunningham (Nez Perce) is originally from Portland, Oregon and along with drawing and painting, he shoots experimental and documentary films. He graduated from SFAI with a BFA in Printmaking in May 2010. Spencer currently works at White Walls Gallery in Central San Francisco. Since 2010, Spencer has shown his prints and drawings internationally in Canada, and most recently Japan, all the while collaborating with Internationally recognized artists as ROA and Ben Eine.

Telegraph Hill – Coit Tower

 Posted by on June 1, 2012
Jun 012012
 
Telegraph Hill
Coit Tower
WPA Murals

The little seated boy looks at a book whose page shows the date of Coit Tower (1933) and the date of the WPA projects at Coit Tower (1934).

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Animal Force by Ray Boynton
These are the first frescoes that one sees when entering Coit Tower.  Boynton chose to portray animal power in Agriculture.  As often occurred he included fellow artist Gordon Langdon leaning on a horse.
Ray Boynton was an Iowan, after studying art in Chicago he came to California to become the first California Fresco artist.  His first project appeared in a Los Altos home in 1917. While teaching fresco at the California School of Fine Arts he completed the first large scale mural in the auditorium of Mills College in Oakland. He went on to become a teacher at UC Berkeley.  He was called the “Dean of Frescoes” at Coit Tower.  After Coit Tower he completed 15 lunette murals in the Modesto Post Office.

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These further symbols of machine force include a man at the controls of a hydroelectric plant, a surveyor, steam shovel, and oil derricks.  Notice that he had to work around not only a door, but a delightful art deco light fixture

Telegraph Hill – Coit Tower Murals

 Posted by on May 31, 2012
May 312012
 
Telegraph Hill
Coit Tower
WPA Murals
 
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This law library has some interesting book titles when one looks closely.  There are the usual Civil, Penal and Moral Codes, but also the Law of Fresco Painting,  Counterfeiting, and Laws on Seduction.  A fun one is Martial Law by Brady, he was the VFW caretaker who watched over the project and lived in the Tower’s apartment.   The man on the left with the pipe is thought to be, patron of the arts, William Gerstle.

The Stock Exchange. Notice the downward movements of the market.

Federal Reserve Bank. It is thought that the curly haired blond is Fred Olmsted, assistant to Coit Tower artist John Langley Howard and later an artist in the program himself.

The artist on this panel was George Albert Harris (1913-1991). Harris was one of the youngest artist to work on Coit Tower. He was a student at the California School of Fine Art and later painted a mural in San Francisco’s Chamber of Commerce building. He was a professor in the art department of Stanford University.

Telegraph Hill -Coit Tower Murals

 Posted by on May 30, 2012
May 302012
 
Telegraph Hill
Coit Tower
WPA Murals

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This is the beginning of a series on the WPA murals of Coit Tower. When the Great Depression hit, like everyone, artists were not finding work. George Biddle, a prominent lawyer turned successful artist, a member of a socially prominent family from Philadelphia, and most importantly, a Groton and Harvard classmate of Franklin Roosevelt, went to the President with an idea.
He suggested that America hire American artists to paint murals depicting the social ideals of the new administration as well as the American way of life, on the walls of public buildings.

The WPA, created by an order from the President, was funded by Congress with passage of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 on April 8, 1935.

San Francisco became District 15 of the National Plan. Coit Tower was one of three large WPA mural projects in San Francisco the others are at Rincon Annex Post Office and The Beach Chalet.

Dr. William Heil, a new immigrant from Germany and the director of the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park was chosen to select and supervise “worthy artists”. It was also Dr. Heil who suggested the medium of frescoes for the project.

According to Masha Zakheims book Coit Tower. there were few interpersonal problems; the “purists” created their preliminary sketches and layouts in their own studio. The artists put in their thirty hours a week as they chose, often working into the small hours to meet the demands of the rapidly drying plaster. Surprised at their diligence it was reported to Washington D.C. that the artists at Coit Tower were very moral and conscientious, not drunken, promiscuous, and orgiastic as some had predicted a group of Bohemians would be.

Fresco (plural either frescos or frescoes) is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls, ceilings or any other type of flat surface. The word fresco comes from the Italian word affresco which derives from the Latin word for “fresh”.

The Tenderloin – Our Future!

 Posted by on February 13, 2012
Feb 132012
 
The Tenderloin

This was done by Laserpunch and RattleCan Blasters.  They were joined by  team co-captain – and avid artist -Vernon Davis who added his creative touch  The mural is part of  the San Francisco Arts Commission’s StreetSmARTs program. The StreetSmARTS program is a joint initiative of the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Department of Public Work that connects established urban artists with private property owners to create vibrant art in an effort to curb graffiti vandalism.

“Laserpunch and the Rattlecan Blasters consists of 2 graffiti artists, Camer1 from San Francisco, CA and Fasm from Modesto, CA. The Duo teams up frequently to paint church youth rooms and do art shows. We’ve traveled to several states to use our rattlecan skills on commissioned murals. ”

49er tight end, Vernon Davis took an introductory painting class his sophomore year at the University of Maryland where he rediscovered his creative side. He switched his major from criminal justice to studio art, trying his hand at artforms ranging from drawing to sculpture. 2011 marked  the second year of the Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship providing tuition support to a San Francisco youth interested in pursuing a career in the visual arts.

“I use art as therapy right now,” he said, encouraging the youth to do the same. “Art takes my mind away from football. Sometimes it helps to put your focus somewhere else.” (SF Gate 5/20/11)

S.F. Bicycle Coalition Mural

 Posted by on January 11, 2012
Jan 112012
 
Castro/Duboce Avenue/Nob Hill
Back of
2020 Market Street

 

In 1972 BART built the Market Street subway, including Muni Metro. Along the Duboce Avenue tunnel entrance was a single eastbound lane for cars. During the 1994 closure of the street, for construction, The Bicycle Coalition worked to show that this street, which when used by both cyclists and cars was highly dangerous, was better served as a bikeway.  They were successful.

In 1995 Peter Tannen of the SF Bicycle Coalition obtained grant funds and Joel Pomerantz, then, co-founder of the bicycle coalition but now, leader of ThinkWalks, was recruited to produce a mural celebrating the first street closed to cars specifically for bicycles.
Joel convinced Mona Caron that she was capable of doing a mural and this was the result.  Mona has been in this site many times before, however, this was her first mural.  The mural is on the back side of the Market Street Safeway along the Duboce Bike Trail where muni heads underground.

According to Mona Caron’s website “At the center of the block long, 6,075 square foot mural is a depiction of the bikeway itself, (complete with its mural,) in geographic and historical context along the ancient streambed which cyclists follow to avoid hills. (The zig-zagging route is now known as “the Wiggle.”) To the east of the Wiggle is Downtown, to the West, residential neighborhoods, Golden Gate Park and, finally, the beach.

At the east end of the wall (downtown), Market Street’s bicycles are seen transforming into pedal-powered flying machines which rise out of the morass of pollution and gridlock. The scene alludes to the subversive nature of Critical Mass in particular, and generally symbolizes the freedom experienced by those with visions of alternatives to the status quo, represented in the mural by frowning corporate skyscrapers. Each of the flying contraptions trails its pilot’s dream of utopia in the form of a golden banner. The whole rest of the mural, westwards from this scene, starts in the shape of one of these golden banners, suggesting that this mural depicts just one of many ideas that make up our collective vision. Ours happens to deal with the issue of transportation, and the City depicted in the rest of the mural is a traffic and pollution free one, where the community takes back the space which now fragments it: the street.”

There is a fabulous, color photo, panel by panel, description of this mural, with stories, trivia and great bits and pieces of San Francisco history available at the Thinkwalks store.

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Check out this post about the utility boxes across the street.

Mission District – Community Thrift Store Mural

 Posted by on January 8, 2012
Jan 082012
 
Mission District
Sycamore Street at 623 Valencia

 

 

 

 

 

This mural goes along the top of the Community Thrift Store.  The mural is actually on Sycamore Street.
Done by a  school group they developed a mural design that emphasized the social as opposed to the currency value of objects, settling on a clothesline motif to represent the borderland between public and private.  Someone from the group blogged about the entire concept and this is what they said “The group voted to limit the parameters of design and color scheme to ensure a consistency in the final product. However, individual style will always assert itself, as reflected in the variety of rendering approaches used in the different objects. For comparison purposes: the boombox is by Mei-Tsung, the sock monkey & coffee grinder are by America, the lamp is by Suzie Bucholz, Lucy van Pelt Pez dispenser by Tom (mostly), salt shaker & cassette tape by Erin, nightshirt by Seija (who did very careful preparatory drawings), mixer by Brooke. ”

Potrero Hill – Snake Mural

 Posted by on December 5, 2011
Dec 052011
 
Potrero Hill
17th and Alabama

Sometimes murals catch you, not for their quality but for their whimsy.  Take a look at the close up pictures.  This mural is by Javier Manrique, a multidisciplinary artist who has shown all over the world. This mural is on the wall of Project Artaud where Manrique lives.

Mission Super Heroes

 Posted by on September 3, 2011
Sep 032011
 
Mission District – San Francisco
19th and Mission Street
This wonderfully whimsical wall is on the 19th Street side of a grocery at 2290 Mission Street.  It was done by three artists, you can see their names in “bubble” style.  KEB, WAND and BUTR.  The skill in which they have recreated the various super heroes is really rather impressive.  All in all, you can not help but smile when walking by this little gem.

SOMA -Art that Disappears when Buildings Do

 Posted by on August 1, 2011
Aug 012011
 
SOMA – San Francisco
260 Fifth Street at Clementina

This sign is an anathema to me for several reasons.  While hard to read, it states that this building will be demolished and a 9 story building will be put up in its place. Although not highly ornamented, it does have some lovely features. When I see old buildings with history like this arbitrarily being tossed by the wayside so that a non-descript highrise can be built, it makes my blood boil.

The unique architecture of any city is what makes it stand out, the more that we have nondescript, inexpensive highrises built around the world, our cities begin to more and more look like each other and we loose our reason to be tourists in other lands.
The other problem is this.
This mural is painted on the side of the building.  It was painted in 1986 by David Wehrle. In San Francisco, the law requires that the original artist of any mural that is about to be destroyed must be notified.  Apparently Mr. Wherle and the SF Arts Commission found no significant reason that the mural should remain, so it will be destroyed during the demolition.  So here are the photos of the entire thing before that happens.
 Update: This building was torn down July of 2012.  This picture was taken on July 7th, 2012

SOMA – Califor’ya

 Posted by on July 11, 2011
Jul 112011
 
SOMA – San Francisco

This mural is on a building at the corner of 7th and Folsom Streets, (It is on the 7th Street side) in the South of Market area of San Francisco.

It was done by 1:AM short for First Amendment, a gallery at 1000 Howard Street in San Francisco.

According to 1:AM they are “a gallery that stands behind the freedom of speech.  We strive to showcase, teach, and inspire the public on street and urban art through our exhibitions, education, and street productions…  With the gallery, classes, and a veteran mural production team, 1:AM has become a pillar in San Francisco street art culture. ”

I contacted 1:AM to see what the mural was all about and this is what one of the artists told me:

“My name is Robert and I’m one of the artist involved with the mural. We really appreciate the communities interest and curiosity about the mural. We painted this mural more for the public in that area, seeing as how that particular wall is often plagued with graffiti. The theme of the murals we usually paint have to do with the community and the surrounding area. For example, this mural is down the street from court and gets a lot of foot traffic from people either going or coming from court. It’s intended to be a positive and uplifting work of art, for people who usually would be stressed out from either work or just having a bad day, thus the vibrant and exciting colors used along with the playful phrase, ‘cus after all “That’s Califor’ya!” ”

UPDATE 4/2013   There was a slight mishap with a mistaken painting over of this mural.  It is back with a few minor changes – here is the new view.

Califor'ya 1AM

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Califor'ya

Berwick Place – Murals

 Posted by on March 31, 2011
Mar 312011
 
Berwick Place and Heron Street

Unknown Artist – I love the tree as an opponent.  The light at this end of Heron was not particularly good, it is a very narrow alley with a building blocking the light from this part of the wall, but the images are wonderful.  The subtle use  of pink to infer cherry blossoms, just shows such a level of artistic ability.

Brightening Mid-Market

 Posted by on March 12, 2001
Mar 122001
 

982 Market Street
The side of the Warfield Theater
Mid-Market

Clare Rojas on Market Street

This piece, finished in May of this year (2014), was done by Clare Rojas (who has been in this website before), along with the 509 Cultural Center.

Public Art in San Francisco

The mural was sponsored, to the tune of $40,000, by the Walter and Elise Hass Fund.

Thanks to the Creative Work Fund, I was able to find this photo of the work in progress, as well as an explanation of the piece.

The Luggage Store Art“The proposed mural will be a natural outgrowth of Rojas’s earlier work, which was overtly feminist and employed surreal or unreal figures in a narrative intent. She plans to re-integrate symbolic figures within a large-scale abstract composition for the mural.”

Clare Rojas and her mural on the Warfield Theater on Market Street in San Francisco

Due to the height of the building, the mural is easy to spot from many parts of town.  Due to the historic nature of the Warfield, the mural will only be up for one year.

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