Articles by

faern

Faern is an artist, yoga practitioner and photographer in San Francisco. Besides making as much time for tea as possible, you can find Faern in a yoga class, at her current art show or wandering the city via public transportation. You can visit her in various places online: FaernWorks website, Twitter, Facebook,Faern in the Works Blog.

 
Newsstand
Arts & Culture
04/13/12 12:13pm

ART on STREETS: The Apartment

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One of the most enjoyable things about living in the city of San Francisco is how visually dynamic it is. There is simply art everywhere, but not in a way that inundates you. The most interesting pieces are hidden away in nooks and crannies that you may not even see. ART on STREETS highlights this city’s art through the lens of a “Polaroid”  camera (except it’s various apps on the iPhone).  Each week we will feature a different soundtrack for your viewing pleasure: a single song from a Bay Area musical artist. So plug in your earbuds (or not) and have a listen while you check out the art.

This week we are in the Mission at “The Apartment”  (18th Street and Lexington). On the side of this antique store is a mural that draws attention-which is separate from the fact that this store also has a VERY bright yellow facade. A whimsical piece by Andrew Shoultz, the mural spans the whole side of the building and incorporates the windows, doors and pipes into the graphic details. Note in particular the acute simplicity, but yet still complex line-work delineating this birdhouse village.

 
Bach Gigue – performed by Clio Tilton

The Apartment [Map]
18th Street and Lexington
San Francisco

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Arts & Culture
03/15/12 10:58pm

ART on STREETS: Swoon in the Mission

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One of the most enjoyable things about living in the city of San Francisco is how visually dynamic it is. There is simply art everywhere, but not in a way that inundates you. The most interesting pieces are hidden away in nooks and crannies that you may not even see. ART on STREETS highlights this city’s art through the lens of a “Polaroid”  camera (except it’s various apps on the iPhone).  Each week we will feature a different soundtrack for your viewing pleasure: a single song from a Bay Area musical artist. So plug in your earbuds (or not) and have a listen while you check out the art.

This week we are checking out a piece by the artist Swoon. On a recent visit to our fair city she graced us with this paste-up over on Hampshire, right at 24th  Street. If you are going to check it out in person, I suggest that you do it soon-with all this rain, it may not stick to those bricks for long. Incorporating an abundance of nature and art history references, this piece is very bright and flowing, and carries a lot of emotion. However, I particularly appreciate its placement. The only artwork set against a monochromatic brick wall-at the end of a pretty residential block-it jumps right out at you. (In the rain, the wet paper added to this effect.)  I got the feeling that strength and perseverance were being birthed right out of the bricks.

Musical Artist: Ganucheau
Title: Air*

 

Hampshire Street and 24th Street [Map]

*This week’s song is from the newly released album  Elements.

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Arts & Culture
03/08/12 2:47pm

ART on STREETS: Flowers No More

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One of the most enjoyable things about living in the city of San Francisco is how visually dynamic it is. There is simply art everywhere, but not in a way that inundates you. The most interesting pieces are hidden away in nooks and crannies that you may not even see. ART on STREETS highlights this city’s art through the lens of a “Polaroid”  camera (except it’s various apps on the iPhone).  Each week we will feature a different soundtrack for your viewing pleasure: a single song from a Bay Area musical artist. So plug in your earbuds (or not) and have a listen while you check out the art.

Street art is interesting to me because of its transience. It is very easy for a piece to be covered up, changed or abused in some way, and as soon as that happens, the owner of a wall is given a choice: either contact the artist to make repairs or paint over the surface to avoid a city fine. Recently, a piece I have had my eye on in the Lower Haight by Megan Stevens got vandalized and then fell prey to the ubiquitous paint over. The art wasn’t up for long-on the side of an apartment building located on the corner of Haight and Pierce. I had seen it go up over a period of a few weeks, and at each stage I enjoyed watching the work develop. When I saw that it was gone, I was really glad that I had “taken it in” this way. Don’t get me wrong. I would have preferred that the work not be so temporary, but it also reminded me to enjoy every day as we go.

Note: Most of the images in this post were taken with my camera and not my phone, as the artwork was removed before I could document it as planned.

Musical Artist: Tha Fruitbat

Title:  Withered Spoonage (Free DL)

Taken as the piece was still in progress

Corner of Haight and Pierce [Map]

Follow Untapped Cities on  Twitter  and  Facebook. Get in touch with the author @faernworks.

 

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Arts & Culture
03/01/12 11:13am

ART on STREETS: Mixed-Media Street Art

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One of the most enjoyable things about living in the city of San Francisco is how visually dynamic it is. There is simply art everywhere, but not in a way that inundates you. The most interesting pieces are hidden away in nooks and crannies that you may not even see. ART on STREETS highlights this city’s art through the lens of a “Polaroid”  camera (except it’s various apps on the iPhone).  Each week we will feature a different soundtrack for your viewing pleasure: a single song from a Bay Area musical artist. So plug in your earbuds (or not) and have a listen while you check out the art.

This piece is quite honestly the first example of mixed-media street art I have found. Bright and boldly worked, she stands out in this city full of “art on streets.” There is a whole variety of things going on here. Ceramic pieces, mosaic areas and painting are the main components of this tribal woman. Even the sunlight adds a dynamic element to the scene, as it reflects off the glass in the stunning mosaic earrings. Take the J or the F and find her on 16th  Street at Sanchez (map), just a skip off of Market Street or a block up from Church.

Street art credit:
“Torantsin Renace” (1998) by  Colette Crutcher

Musical Artist: Actual Rafiq

Title:  Welcome to the Jumble

Find this week’s featured piece at 16th and Sanchez. [Map]

Follow Untapped Cities on  Twitter  and  Facebook. Get in touch with the author @faernworks.

 

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Arts & Culture
02/16/12 8:56pm

ART on STREETS: Ocean Beach Platform

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One of the most enjoyable things about living in the city of San Francisco is how visually dynamic it is. There is simply art everywhere, but not in a way that inundates you. The most interesting pieces are hidden away in nooks and crannies that you may not even see. ART on STREETS highlights this city’s art through the lens of a “Polaroid”  camera (except it’s various apps on the iPhone).  Each week we will feature a different soundtrack for your viewing pleasure: a single song from a Bay Area musical artist. So plug in your earbuds (or not) and have a listen while you check out the art.

OK, it’s true-you really can’t see the street from here, but I swear, it’s really just right there.

As the weather pushes and pulls us back and forth between winter and spring, let’s just throw caution to the wind and pretend it’s summer…at the beach. Today we are looking at a structure on Ocean Beach that is almost completely covered with street art.

To get to here, take the N Judah to the end of the line (Ocean Beach). Cross over the Great Highway and the dunes. When you arrive at the beach, turn right and enjoy a little walk. At just about the half-way point to the Cliff House, there is this platform covered in graffiti that changes quite often. The contrast of the Ocean Beach serenity with the bright, haphazard and sometimes politically painted platform might seem like an eyesore to some, but to me this captures the San Francisco spirit pretty spot on.

Musical Artist: Audiovoid

Title: Summertime Nostalgia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s song was featured on  memekast-check it out.

Follow Untapped Cities on  Twitter  and  Facebook. Get in touch with the author @faernworks.

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Arts & Culture
02/09/12 3:45pm

ART on STREETS: Inspiring Face in the Mission

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One of the most enjoyable things about living in the city of San Francisco is how visually dynamic it is. There is simply art everywhere, but not in a way that inundates you. The most interesting pieces are hidden away in nooks and crannies that you may not even see. ART on STREETS highlights this city’s art through the lens of a “Polaroid”  camera (except it’s various apps on the iPhone).  Each week we will feature a different soundtrack for your viewing pleasure: a single song from a Bay Area musical artist. So plug in your earbuds (or not) and have a listen while you check out the art.

This week’s art piece is on the Women’s Building in the Mission. The building is quite large and is covered by bright and bold murals about women. I have been thinking about how to do the murals justice, and I have come to the conclusion that I have to do it in parts. The piece I am starting with is on the north side of the building (on 18th Street). It is at the very top right-a painting of a woman’s profile. I was inspired to pay attention to smaller sections of this giant collective piece by this week’s musical artist, Renee Wilson. Renee shared this personal “Street Art Inspiration”  moment about the woman in the mural: “This beautiful woman inspired me to take her photo as I was walking down the street”¦I don’t know who she is or what her story is, but she spoke to me in a way that made me see myself in her being. I chose my song “Maybe” as her theme song because it is an uplifting song about self-love, facing fears and moving toward the light in the face of challenge and adversity. She inspires me to see the strength, love and power within at all times. I see this in her and I think she sees it in us as well.” 

To find the Women’s building, take the J and get off at 18th Street.  Walk past Dolores Park. You simply cannot miss the building on the south side of the 18th  street (right before you get to Valencia). If you take this route, you will be on the side of the building where this piece is located.

Musical Artist: Renee Wilson

Title: Maybe

 

Follow Untapped Cities on  Twitter  and  Facebook. Get in touch with the author @faernworks.

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