World Series Art

 

 I was on the 30 bus heading downtown from the marina the other day. I noticed this mural as we passed by, and hopped off the bus at the next stop. This tribute to the World Champion Giants is located in North Beach right across the street from Washington Square Park. Let me just come right out and say that I am not a Giants fan. I am from LA and stay true to the blue. But I can appreciate good art regardless of my baseball affiliation. This mural was painted by Mark Bode, the son of legendary cartoonist Vaughn Bode. He specializes in murals, tattoos, and cartoon art.

 

This mural is quite large, and stretches around the corner. It is painted on a construction scaffolding, and will most likely be torn down in the near future. What I like about this painting is the attention to personality. Bode captures the players in their true form, and in turn it allows these athletes to seem more accessible to the public. This mural features Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, Edgar Renteria and manager Bruce Bochy.

 

Automobile Art

Over the past few weeks, I have noticed a trend around the city. It seems like trucks and vans are now becoming mobile pieces of artwork. Some designs are intentional, while others just happened to be parked in the wrong place at the wrong time. These pictures were shot from around the city, and aren't exclusive to one neighborhood.

The first van I came across was this awesome Volkswagen Bus located in the Upper Haight. That van was definitely made in the fifties or sixties. Let me just say that even as a kid I have always wanted this car, and was ecstatic to see one in such good shape. Needless to say the paint job made me chuckle a little bit. This van is decorated with the logo of Pacifico on both front doors, and the message Mexico Via Pacifico written above the windshield. Along the side of the car is a band of roosters playing some music, captivating the rising sun. On the other side is a lone rooster acting as the two hands of a clock. It seems that it was about 4:15 on a rooster island stocked with the Mexican beer. I love how the roosters are playing despite the fact that they have no fingers. I think the goal of this van is to spread the word of Pacifico, and brighten people's day as well.  They have succeeded on both fronts.

The next van I came along was also on Haight Street, but a little further towards downtown. It was a van promoting Acro Sports, a Gymnastics Performance and Circus Arts school located across the street from Kezar Stadium. What I liked about the van was it's vibrant colors. The background seemed to be painted a beige off-white color, allowing the logo and the children to bounce off it really well. The color of the logo is also easy to read, even at a quick glance. This paint job does a good job of conveying what Acro Sports is all about, and I was glad to have photographed it.

The last truck I captured was the only one that was actually vandalized. It is located in the Inner Sunset district The writing is hard to make out, but seems to read JAUT CARES along the side, and I'm not even gonna try to translate the back. If anyone can see it clearer, or has any guesses to what it might actually say, please comment. But to answer the one clear question written on the truck, it certainly is funky enough for me. The blue and red contrast on the sides allowing each one to be read separately. The bubbly lettering on the back is kind of cool as well. Overall this is nothing special, but certainly neat to look at.

Plant It Earth

The first spot I came across on my walk in the city is this beautiful mural. It is all over a store that is called Plant It Earth. It is a hydroponic supply store specializing in indoor hydroponic systems, and organic gardening supplies and is located north of the panhandle on Divisadero at Grove Street.

This mural was done by an artist named Jet Martinez. Martinez was born in Mexico and emigrated to the Bay Area when he was fourteen. His work can be summed up as an obsession with nature, colors and shapes. He isn’t afraid to go big, as he has done here. What I like about the mural is the sheer size of it. It took multiple pictures to get the entire mural captured. Getting it into frame without being across the street was out of the question. It goes above the normal eye level, reaching up to the second story roof area. This allows the plants to be larger than life. It almost felt like I was in the “Land of The Lost” surrounded by ten foot cacti and twenty foot trees.

  

I also enjoy the color combinations Martinez decided to use. Each plant is designated its own color or shade of color, and really stand apart from one another. This piece is consistent color-wise with the rest of his artwork, and really shows what a person with talent and opportunity can do. One thing that I found amusing was that the mural actually represented what the business is trying to do. Plant It Earth strives to make peoples gardens or indoor plants to grow as big as possible and that message is conveyed all over their building.It is a wonderful and colorful addition to this awesome neighborhood.