Mission Mission

Last Friday night a group of Bay Area photographers and Flickr contacts met together, many meeting in person for the first time, to storm through the neighborhood taking way too many pictures, ducking the drizzle and stopping for drinks along the way.

The group included Mission Mission regulars Potential Past, and KayVee.INC as well as some other great shooters. I was also lucky enough to tag along.

Above by Justin Beck.

Check out the full set here on Flickr.

I take color for granted. I walk around looking at the great architecture of the neighborhood and sometimes the color just seems like part of it all. Like that’s what color it was built to be.

Bob Buckter, Dr. Color, probably resents that idea. This Mission resident consults property owners on building on the beauty of the design by properly coloring the exterior. (he does interiors too, but I don’t get to see those) And judging by the examples on his website, he gets the job done.

Here is the doctor’s handy guide to stenciling:

Picture from drcolor.com

How to stencil:
(1) Look for a similar building of the same period which has more architectural enhancements.
(2) Take a photograph of the enhancement.
(3) Enlarge the print to scale.
(4) Trace the print on Mylar or acetate.
(5) Cut your stencil.
(6) Wearing the right colored shirt helps you to “tie-in”!

Check out his site for more.

I remember when this apartment building was first put up. (Just over a decade or so? I don’t know. BurritoJ?) I was sure there was no way the residents would let this stand. And yet here it is. The occupants have (4 ply?) venetian blinds, cutting the glorious glow of the orange lamp by almost 15%. (false fact) Perma jaundice.

Moments ago.

From Spots Unknown.

Update: Its probably hail. Still on hold with the National Weather Service to fact-check while maintaining my hipster image and sense of cool. There were at least 4 errors in this update. Find them all and win a basket of fries. -vic

Pics from last night’s fundraiser for Southern Exposure at Verdi Club. Local artists drawing in hour long shifts before their work is put up on the wall and sold for $60.

Paul Madonna

More pics below.
(more…)

We’ve all seen the blue bears. Then I saw Troy’s pictures and a great interview on Mission Local and I had to check out Sirron Norris’s new gallery for myself. It’s a pretty cool setup. He’s got all kinds of work, paintings, toys, stickers, shirts, even a video game.

My favorite was the lineup of the neighborhood buildings, done on wood blocks, a couple of inches tall.

The gallery is at 1406 B Valencia Street, near 25th. Check out the stuff, talk to the guy himself and sign up yourself or a teenager in your life for one of the cartoon classes.

Although their styles are very different, just like Will Eisner’s city stories, he has an amazing way of bringing out the city’s character.

Something happens in Duc Loi Supermarket at night. When we humans go home to watch old episodes of NewsRadio on Hulu; heat up leftovers for our hungry children; go out to bars to meet up with an old girlfriend we’re thinking of getting back together with; or wander the streets with a camera, looking for weird little things to take pictures of, the piñatas at Duc Loi experience something very different.

I happened to catch a glimpse of their secret world the other night, and I’ll tell you, I have no idea what they’re up to in there. Here are some guesses as to what this could be about:

• Piñata Fight Club – The fight doesn’t stop when candy is spilled. It’s just another clean up on aisle three.

• Prayer Service – The Great One, a holy piñata in the form of a star with seven points appears in a blinding light and cleanses the spirits of the doomed beasts.

• Rock Concert – Big Bird and the Bats rock the house. Big Bird heads up the three piece jam band on vocals, Laa-Laa coos in the background on bass and Monkey-With-A-Donkey-Head keeps the beat on drums.

For now, all I have are guesses. Next step: Infiltration.

Some kind of scavenger hunt? Or is it the evolution of leaving trash on the sidewalk?

This and more found on a lamppost at 21st and Valencia.

I found some more street art on Valencia. And just like last time, I helped it out a bit. It’s sort of addicting.

I dunno. What else is it supposed to be?

Speaking of which, Seattle-based illustrator, designer and awesome dad, Gaelan Kelly did a couple versions of the last one:

The next issue of Forum, the literary magazine published by City College of San Francisco, is coming out this May. If you are a CCSF student, faculty member or alumni you have until March 1st, 2010 to send your poems, essays, short stories, screenplays, visual artwork, photography or anything else you think they could fit onto a page to cityjournal(at)gmail(dot)com.

They are especially interested in artwork, so go get yourself published!

Photo credit: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid