Tales from the Tenderloin

     I took a brief walk through the tenderloin the other day on my way to the bus stop. Along the way I caught a glimpse of some artwork worth mentioning. The first artwork I came across barely caught my eye to begin with. It is located on a small street right off of Market Street, which I almost walked by. It is actually two separate pieces of art located on the same wall, so I thought I would document them together. What I noticed right away is the color contrast of both pieces compared to the black background. That really allows the painting to pop out at you. Also the colors are very sharp, and bright. What I got from these paintings is a message of hope. In a district of San Francisco that is so impoverished and disregarded, these pieces of art are a ray of hope. The color is shining through the monotonous black background and really brighten that entire city block.

     The next piece I came across is actually on Market Street in between 7th and 8th. It is located on a construction scaffolding and will probably be removed at some point in the near future, so it was nice to capture it while it still exists. I really like this piece because the different elements of the mural are acting together to form one big painting. Though there are many different shapes and color schemes, they all work together well. These different shapes form a few giant eyes. I like to think that these eyes are symbolic of someone or something watching over the tenderloin, since the local government has obviously stopped doing so.

Adventures in Chinatown

     I ventured into Chinatown today with the hopes of finding some cool strap I could use for my digital camera. I needed to be downtown later in the afternoon, and was just killing some time. I had no intention of using my camera as I just brought it along to see if it would fit the potential straps. I’m glad that I brought it along, because I came across a couple interesting pieces of art. But no straps.

     The first piece I came across was a very large mural of a dragon. This piece stretched about a quarter block, leaving me no chance of getting the entire painting in frame. My first impression was amazement, since this dragon was so huge. If dragons actually existed, then this one would be as close to life-size as possible. What I liked about this piece was how well the different colors blended together. The dragon’s face and what can only be described as hair, are comprised of a myriad of colors. None of which stand out any more than the others. The blue background gets lighter and lighter as it ascends, which to me represents calmness and tranquility. The dragon seemed to be smiling with contentment, as was I when taking these pictures.

     The next piece I came across has a bit of history to it. This mural was painted by Amy Nelder, and is located at the Charity Cultural Services Center at 827 Stockton. This mural is a dedication to 848 Chinese railroad workers who miraculously laid down a world record 10 miles of track one day in 1869. In 1868 The Central Pacific Railway laid 350 miles of track. About one mile per day. Needless to say it was a great accomplishment, and this mural serves as an homage to the Chinese immigrant community in San Francisco. As far as the artwork goes, I felt it was campy, yet had a happy feel to it. For some reason the three floating heads reminded me of pictures they have hanging at Red Robin. To me, it seemed that the mural simply was there to supplement the facts of what happened that day, and that the actual artwork was not the most important factor.

     I came into Chinatown skeptical of finding anything of worth. Upon leaving I was delighted to have come in the first place, and that left me optimistic about my journeys in the future.

Zen Garden

     This mural is a beautiful new addition to the sunset district, and it brightens the lives of countless people riding the 71 outbound. It is conveniently located at the bus stop, so people waiting for the bus can admire the piece thoroughly. The title of the piece is Zen Garden, and it was painted by Vera Gordeev Lowdermilk in 2010. She is part of a group of urban artists that make up the StreetSmARTS program. This group was formed by The San Francisco Arts Commission and the Department of Public Works to connect established artists with private property owners. This property happens to be a medical building with a Bank of America ATM on the corner.

     What I love about this piece is the brightness. It is being hit by direct sunlight for a large portion of the day, which really highlights the brightness of the tree in the foreground. Lowdermilk also does a good job of blending different shades of the same color. I like this piece in particular, because it is only two blocks from my house and I see it almost everyday. The artist took what was once a blank wall, and has turned it into a window of imagination. It could be her "happy place". A place where it almost feels as if life is standing still. Or it could be a place she once visited, and longs to return to. There are endless possibilities.