At Cañada College, a Long-Awaited Mural is Unveiled with Dance and Poetry
"She's done," lead artist Francisco Franco posted on Facebook last month, "hung in its complete glory and splendor." Delayed by pandemic lockdowns and the time taken to conduct numerous community design workshops, Cañada College now has its first mural. Titled From Here We Can Go Anywhere, the 7'x28' work was created by the entire college community in collaboration with Precita Eyes. The night before the May 15 unveiling, Franco was adding last touches in the dark. The next morning, "I had to take off my sunglasses and look twice because the colors were so intense."
The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought traditional dance and poetry to Building 9 on the 4200 Farm Hill Blvd, Redwood City campus. The work's vision of hope in solidarity is inspired by the values and diversity of the community college. A banner reclaims the land for the Ramaytush Ohlone; the wings of a Monarch butterfly, symbolizing migration, bear symbols of science, culture, and technology; hummingbirds stand for transformation; an open book offers knowledge and education. Students cross a bridge toward a green future, and, at center, a graduating student closes her eyes with emotion.
Downed Trees Become Mosaic Benches at 24th and Harrison
Ficus trees in front of the Precita Eyes Mural Center, felled after a years-long saga, have come back to life as mosaic seats on the corner of 24th St. and Harrison. Salvaged from buzz saws by Precita Eyes founder Susan Cervantes and staff in 2021, two stumps now offer pedestrians a place to rest alongside the new Mercy Housing complex for low-income seniors. Mercy Housing partnered with Precita Eyes to plan the new sidewalk area and install the stumps. Cervantes worked with volunteers to design and built the tops, which depict a butterfly and bird spirit atop tree rings. ![]() Precita Eyes History Mural Tour
Led by master muralist/Precita Eyes founder Saturday, June 17, 11:30am Every Third Saturday of the month More info here ![]() Mural Arts Workshop
Led by Susan Cervantes Tues., June 20, 7pm Every Third Tuesday at Precita Eyes, 2981 24th St. Gain hands-on experience facilitating community-based mural-making. This two-hour workshop introduces Precita Eyes' approach to visual story-telling and the collaborative process. Participants become familiar with the mural-making process from start to finish, including budgets, contracts, planning, design and painting. More info/registration here ![]() Crafting Class Summer Camp for Toddlers and Young Kids
June 19th to June 23rd (Monday- Friday) 10am to 11am A one-week summer camp for toddlers (18 months to 5 years) led by Gabriela Perez (GabJo). Fun stuff for little people! More info/registration here ![]() Classic Mural Tour Led by Patricia Rose
Sat., June 24, 1:30pm For students and those with a deeper interest in the history and context of Mission District muralism. More info here SAVE THE DATE!
Precita Eyes 27th Annual: "Frisco Fresh" Urban Youth Arts Festival July 15, 2023 • 1pm to 5pm This is an event we host to create a sanctioned space to create aerosol art. The largest production yet, we will build three large 8'x20' walls reserved for selected youth organizations, four 8'x16' walls, and 6 mini-walls to create art on. We will also have a Community wall where there will be traditional brush painting. There will be live music, dancers and kids' art activities. More info here Youth Murals Featured on Mission Street, New Video Celebrates Mural in Tenderloin
Partnership with Gray Area gives young artists a prominent canvas; drone footage captures the making of Baobab Rising above tough streets. "Spirit" by Alberto Martinez and "Veaw" by Aiden Riordan
The first youth murals from the new partnership between Precita Eyes Muralists and Gray Area Foundation for the Arts made their appearance this month. The partnership supports young emerging artists by giving them a prime spot on the bay doors of the Gray Area building at 2665 Mission St. The murals will change every six months to feature a new set of youth muralists. Aiden Riordan, 17, and Alberto Martinez, 24, inaugurated the program with their spray-painted works, above.
EYES UP: A Mural for the Tenderloin
A short documentary film on our 350 Ellis Street Mural Project, "Baobab Rising" painted by Precita Eyes Muralists Susan Cervantes, Eli Lippert, Monica Magtoto, Malik Seneferu, Mel Waters in 2018. This 6-story mural is on the side of an affordable housing apartment complex at 350 ELLIS in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. more info here. Created by www.Clubsodapro.com • Directed and Edited by: Henry Dombey and Steve Agnos • Director of Photography: Henry Dombey • Drone by: Matt Abrams and Henry Dombey Painting a Pop Up Mural with Precita Eyes at 24th & Harrison
Painting a Pop-Up in An Enchanted Forest By the Light of the Moon
Precita Eyes Muralists partnered with SF Parks Alliance on Golden Gate Park's JFK Promenade, and turned it into a canvas. On a cold Saturday evening last February 11, the Entwined forest in Peacock Meadow gathered people of all ages, most of whom just happened to be passing by, to paint a pop-up.
"A pop-up mural is a mini happening," commented San Francisco Parks Alliance's Anna Lisa Escobedo, a long-time Precita Eyes collaborator. "It's a performance you maybe just stumbled upon." more here AFTER 111 YEARS, THE SF CITY CLINIC GETS A MURAL
"A Sanctuary for Health" was unveiled on Nov. 15 by SF Department Health officials, clinic workers and clients. The clinic at 356 7th Street serves the sexual health of San Franciscans. Its new mural, A Sanctuary for Health, is inspired by the clinic's dedication to compassion and inclusive services. In the Nov. 15 dedication ceremony, SF city health director Dr. Grant Colfax cut the inaugural ribbon with these words: “Artistic expression is an integral part of how we heal, and this is supported by science. Art can help us emotionally navigate the journey of battling an illness. It can help us process difficult emotions in times of crisis. And it brings a sense of calm when we need it most." More here. Hope for the World Cure Mural Restoration is Complete!
see more… 45 Years of Precita Eyes History: A Conversation with Susan and Luz Cervantes
Precita Eyes Muralists, in Your Own Words
Listen to what people are saying about Precita Eyes, and take a tour of the Mission's mural-making community. Thanks to muralists Juana Alicia and Meera Desai, youth artist and Precita collaborator Xavier Bess, Calle 24 cultural district organizer Erick Arguello, and friends at the California Historical Society Murales Rebeldes community day and the Cesar Chavez Day parade, April 2018. (Music by Manuel Obregón.)
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