photos – Page 2 – HappyFeet Travels

September 18, 2009September 18, 2009

Dia del Toro Mural at CELLspace

I am proud to announce a new mural on the Bryant St. facade of CELLspace. Dia del Toro graces the entrance to the ACT prop shop at 2060 Bryant St. and was painted by Dia and Toro.

For years, fading graffiti filled this panel as a a ficus tree grew huge and blocked the street view of this part of the facade. While I facilitated the half panel piece that Dia did for CELLspace earlier this year, I shot the idea to him about taking that panel too. He initially had the idea of painting a sailing ship getting pulled down into a stormy sea, but he used that concept for a gallery piece. Once Dia found time to work with CELL’s miniscule budget and paint the panel for free, he had met Toro and decided to paint a defeated bull as it took its last breaths.

In the first phase of making the panel, Dia and Toro worked on the overall layout. Toro then painted “DIA TORO” in graff letters for placement. Dia then sprayed a white outline of the bull and then painted the details with brushes and black paint. He sprayed a few other details. Finally, Toro came back and did the final graff lettering and details. Blood on the sword punctures and in the mouth of the bull were the final details added to the animal image.

Dia del Toro was the final panel on the Bryant St. facade, following Stencilada and the halved panel by 2048 Bryant. Now that this is done, energy will be focused on the Florida St. Mural project. Currently with no funds to budget the artwork, things move slowly back there. I’m currently working on the RIDE TOO! benefit for next Friday, of which some profits will go towards the Florida St. murals. The Bike Kitchen is still moving forward with their panel back there and will be at the benefit.

Enjoy the photos of the Dia del Toro mural that I took over the course of its completion.

Toro’s placement text and Dia’s sprayed bull outline

Dia painting the bull’s skin wrinkles with a brush

The mural awaits Toro’s final lettering and bull’s blood

The final mural with new lettering and bull’s blood

September 6, 2009

On Contemplating Art and Public Space

I spend a lot of time walking/biking around urban landscapes, looking at space and photographing art. If you’ve followed my travels, you’ve notice that this is something that goes beyond hobby. This search isn’t a job either, but I have been paid for my efforts. For me, walking through a living system where humans work, play, eat, sleep, etc. brings rewards beyond a systematic point of reference. It is hard to label it as work, hobby, etc., when the urge to wander and look for art is a deep way of living for me.

This Saturday, I went for a walk, thinking a bit more about space. I reflected on the potential that space has to present art. The way people relay their feelings in more creative ways. And the lost histories that surrounds us in the neighborhoods we live in.

The following photo essay are the images that made me stop, stare, ponder, and snap. We all live in a world full of many colorful possibilities. We also live in a culture that doesn’t tolerate certain opinions, while letting others flourish. These photos touch on all the ideas I carry with a passion, and might help add context to why I constantly “stencil hunt” in the urban wilds of the USA and beyond.

I have photographed Bruce Tomb’s Dappropriation Wall for almost 10 years now. But this is my first photo of the facade of the former SFPD Mission “cop shop.” This building has a violent history, somewhat forgotten by new residents distracted by the pirate flag and postered public wall.

A perfect example of a space’s potential to hold art. Green drops protect sacaffolding and a paint crew’s work. They left the billboard open, with neglected, rotting ads on it. Easy access for a nimble artist, or someone who wants to take it down!

A great example of humor with stencil graffiti, someone put the phone back in the phonebooth. Placement is one of the foundations of street art, and this well-placed stencil on paper gets high marks.

When I first moved to the Mission, a beautiful mural graced this wall. “Our Roots Are Still Alive” kept getting defaced due to its pro-Palestinian visuals. So it is lost to the public behind plywood.

Dolores Park has become the hang out in recent years. Now the locals living nearby want to curb the excessive good times. This brings up the natural question: who controls public space and what goes on in it?

These peace pillars dot the world, giving people a public space for expressing their desire for peace. Set with intention, they create space in the heart as well as by the sidewalk.

This colorful graffiti-covered truck would be a white “canvas” or logo-pasted ad otherwise. When thinking of the potential for a space to hold art, this mobile object is a logical choice.

August 26, 2009August 26, 2009

Angel Island Campout Pics

Hanging out on the beach, Margaret, Julia, and I made a fun sculpture/altar.

Our personal beach also had a driftwood chill lounge, complete with funky crab altar.

Laura poses with her loaded bike as we’re heading back to the ferry landing.

Our camp site from the deck of the ferry back to SF.

Linda mugs for the camera at the campsite.

Antonio, Laura and Linda walk the beach below our camp site; SF in the background

My favorite photo from the trip: Julia checks out our $3m view of San Francisco.

August 23, 2009July 14, 2022

NBC Catches a Phish(head)

Had to head down to the Shoreline a few weeks ago to check out the 3.0 version of my favorite 1990s band Phish (they’ve broken up two times prior to this). They’re much better than the last time I saw them (the mud-mired Coventry, VT festival), mostly in part to lead guitarist Trey Anastasio’s going clean and sober (addicted to Big Pharma pills). Delicate show that kicked out the jams, and played the one song I wanted at the top of the show (Golgi Apparatus).

Josh Keppel, a photo-journalist from a local NBC Web site, snapped this pic of me for his cheeky “Jam Band Parking Lot” spread. I have to remind folks that “jam band” wasn’t a term when I started going to Phish shows. I think jam bands suck anyway.