Precita Eyes – Public Art and Architecture from Around the World

Precita Eyes covers McDonald’s in Paint

Posted by Cindy on March 25, 2013

Mar 252013

2801 Mission Street
Mission District

This mural, titled Culture of the Crossroads, was done in 1998 by Precita Eyes. It covers the 24th Street side of the McDonalds Restaurant.

Precita Eyes is a multipurpose community based arts organization that has played an integral role in the city’s cultural heritage and arts education. One of only three community mural centers in the United States, the organization sponsors and implements ongoing mural projects throughout the Bay Area and internationally. In addition, it has a direct impact on arts education in the San Francisco Mission District by offering four weekly art classes for children and youth (18 months through 19 years) and other classes for adults. These classes and community mural projects enable children and youth to develop their individuality and confidence through creative activities and to experience unifying, positive social interaction through collaboration.

December 2013 update. This McDonald’s is going through a complete remodel. The mural will be gone, with the exception of the back wall. The mural has truly served its purpose and changes happen. Art and Architecture is glad that we were able to document the mural and bring it to you.

If you are interested in reading further Mission Local has written a very nice article here.

Soul Journey

Posted by Cindy on December 17, 2012

Dec 172012

1625 Carroll at Third Street
Bayview

Titled Soul Journey this mural was done by Precita Eyes in 2000. It was designed by their director, Susan Kelk Cervantes and executed by Ronnie Goodman, Tomashi Red Jackson, “Diallo” John H. Jones, Dan Macchiarini and Mel Simmons.

Under the fawn it reads: Home sickness on a quiet night…on the ground before my bed is spread the bright moonlight, but I take it for frost, when I wake up at the first light. Then I look up at the bright full moon in the sky suddenly homesickness strikes me as I bow my head with a deep sigh.

In the waves of this panel you can read this:

The soul journey of tears has slowed from people’s eyes for many years

The soul journey of tears has dropped to the ground forced through cultivated soil that has transformed their lives and wiped away their sorrow and pain from their lives.

This soul journey of tears have given us new meaning to life. By R. Goodman

This project, executed in 2000, was funded by the Mayors Neighborhood Beautification Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Carroll Avenue Associates.

Gigantes in the Mission

Posted by Cindy on August 3, 2012

Aug 032012

The Mission District

San Carlos and 19th

All of us are equal

Some of us grow up to be Giants…

This mural is by Precita Eyes. This is the description of the mural from their website:

The “Gigantes” mural project can be read in three concepts; History, Community, and the Future. It features Hispanic players, two of whom are Hall of Famers. Historically, the Giants have been a significant landmark for San Francisco, the Bay Area, and the community of fans who surround them. For this reason the mural includes all four stadiums to represent the four stages of Giants history in placement of the bases on a baseball diamond that stretches from one end of the mural to the other.

Beginning from the left in New York’s Polo Grounds, the mural shows a line of pitchers as follows: Juan Marchal, Gaylord Perry, and a pitcher from the Women’s League who’s been converted to a Giants player.

At the far right, framing the mural on the opposite side of “the pitch” is Giant hitter Orlando Cepeda. Will Clark hits the home run blast to the left of Cepeda in an earthquake shaken Candlestick Park at the” Battle of the Bay” in 1989.

Other Hall of Famers included in the mural from left to right are: Willie Mays, “The Catch” (in New York), JT Snow (showing some fan appreciation), Barry Bonds (hitting the 756), Willie McCovey and the Alou brothers. The team mascot is Lucille the Seal representing the days when the Giants played in Seal Stadium. Lucille is dressed in a serape and sombrero, holding a maraca to celebrate the Hispanic flavor of the mural.

The Giants community is scattered throughout the mural from the fans to the different stadiums throughout history. Because the mural is being created in the Mission District and home to many Giants fans, the mural also features the Mission Reds, the minor league team from the Mission who played at the Seals Stadium in the 1920’s and 30’s. To the right, between Candlestick and Pac Bell Parks, the skyline of San Francisco embraces a few of the Mission District landmarks such as Mission Dolores, the New Mission Theater marquee and palm trees.

“Vamos Gigantes” (Go Giants) hovers above Seals Stadium and into the Mission, representing the saying, which Hispanic fans have come to use throughout the years.

The future of the Giants is celebrated by the fans, some of which are families and friends. A coach and Jr. Giants’ teammates congratulate their team player with cheers as she hits a winning ball.

The “blast” home run ball hit by Clark is representative of baseball as the fabric of America which weaves into our culture. The ball begins at the hit and moves across the entire mural in a pattern unifying players, fans, the 756 ball, stadiums, and future Giants, morphing into the world and ending with Mays’ famous catch.

SOMA – Murals on 6th

Posted by Cindy on August 3, 2011

Aug 032011

6th Street Corridor – San Francisco

6th and Minna Streets

6th Street in San Francisco is not the nicest street in the city. Its overabundance of SRO’s crack dealers, and soup kitchens make it a street many people avoid. I took all these shots while wandering by myself, however, it was broad daylight. The point is, like any city, know your surroundings and keep your eyes open, and life is not all that scary.

This mural was painted in 1998 by Precita Eyes. The designer and painter, specifically was William Boler Jr.

On the other side of the alley are these three little gems.

SOMA – Frisco’s Wild Side

Posted by Cindy on July 28, 2011

Jul 282011

SOMA – San Francisco

Langton between Folsom and Harrison

This newly restored mural is on Langton Street between Folsom and Harrison in the South of Market area. Originally painted in 1995 by Precita Eyes it is called “Frisco’s Wild Side”. It took more than 70 participants to plan and paint depictions of endangered species in North America. The animals are found in fantastical settings of ancient civilizations and modern industrialization interwoven with and sometimes battling the animals’ natural habitats.

San Francisco residents and local school children helped to paint and create tile mosaics that were then embedded into the concrete relief elements that run the bottom length of the mural.

The mural sits on the back side of Maltby Electrical and this is their warehouse entrance. Between the tagging and the damage done by the trucks the mural had become extremely sad and tired. With money from Maltby Electric and lots of work from the local neighborhood the mural was restored and is a point of pride for the people that live on the street.

Despite it’s atrocious name – no local would ever call San Francisco “Frisco”, it is a wonderful mural.

Mission District- Balmy Avenue

Posted by Cindy on July 3, 2011

Jul 032011

Balmy Alley, Mission District, San Francisco. Part II.

Part of the wooden cut out mural at the 24th end of Balmy Alley

“The birth of a silence is written in the agony of a sigh”

I continue with just a few more Balmy Alley murals today. There are many, many more and I again encourage you to make your way there when you can, and take a tour by Precita Eyes if you have the time.

Virgin of Guadalupe by Patricia Rose

Patricia Rose is the senior tour coordinator for Balmy Alley and one of the major artists in the Mission Mural Movement.

Manjushri by Marta Ayala

Tibetan Buddhist wisdom deity. The mural merges Tibetan Art with Latin American motifs. A native of El Salvador, Marta has been a resident of San Francisco since 1968. I loved the juxtaposition with the fact that the Virgin of Guadalupe is directly across the alley from the Manjushri.

Rejoice by unknown artist

Just a little fun along the way.

Mission District – Balmy Alley

Posted by Cindy on July 2, 2011

Jul 022011

Balmy Alley

Inspired by Huichol Indian Yarn Paintings by Mia Gonzales, Susan Cervantes and Others 1991

This is the beginning of Balmy Avenue. It is runs between 25th and 24th streets in the Mission District, between Harrison and Treat. This block long alley is one of several great alleys in San Francisco with a highly concentrated collection of murals. The murals began in the mid-80’s as an outlet for artists’ outrage over human rights and political abuses in Central America. Today the alley contains murals on a myriad of styles and subjects from human rights to local gentrification and Hurricane Katrina. The alley is best viewed on foot. If you plan ahead, you can get guided tours by Precita Eyes. The alley is constantly changing so repeat visits are always fun.

Naya Bihana, Painted by Marin Travers of Precita Eyes in 2002

“Una ley immoral nadie tiene que cumplirla,” “No one must comply with an immoral law.” Romero was “urging us to think for ourselves, to consider what we’re doing. We shouldn’t blindly comply with something we know is not right, Romero fought the military government for the rights of the poor in El Salvador, he was murdered in 1980. But his presence is still felt here with two murals on Balmy Alley.

A Tribute to Archbishop Oscar Romero – 2001

listed as both unknown artist, and attributed to Jamie Morgan

Victorion by Sirron Norris – A Giant Robotic Victorian House

Sirron Norris was born in Cleveland, Ohio and settled down in San Francisco in 1997. Initially, Sirron worked as a production artist in the video game industry. 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.

Sun and the Moon by Frances Valesco

Valesco received her BA from UCLA and her MA from California State University, Long Beach. She teaches at City College of San Francisco, the San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco State University, and UC Berkeley.

Those We Love, We Remember by Edythe Boone – 1997

Edythe is a 72 year old arts educator. Another great mural she worked on was the The Women’s Building in the Mission District of San Francisco.

Indigenous Eyes by Susan Kelk Cervantes