What are the “It Looks” to have while walking your dog in Bernal Heights this season? Neighborhood artist Laurie Wigham created this handy illustrated field guide to show what’s hot in canine-accompanied hill fashion for Spring 2013:
People walking their dogs on Bernal Hill in the late afternoon. When I started sketching it was warm enough that jackets were tied around waists, but then it turned cold and people wore the jackets. I had just listened to John Muir Laws talk about how to remember bird calls, so I tried to apply that to representing the way one man was whistling for his dog to come (“Fee-Fu” x 3).
Bernalwood 
Todd, thanks for posting this! I want to apologize for not including the dog belonging to the person with the orange jacket. I ran around the hill trying to get a good look at the dog, but never spotted that orange jacket again. All too much like trying to draw birds in the field: some of them fly away and you never get another glimpse.
Thank YOU, Laurie! This is so great.
This is sooo cool Laurie. I only wish I were on the hill to be forever charicaturized.
Maybe I’ll catch you next time!
What about the dogs’ fashions? I’ve noticed many canine friends wearing LED pendants after dark. Red seems to be the most popular color, although our corgi mix Bella has a blue one.
Good idea, Jennif. I was looking for an idea for my next field sketching survey on the hill, and hadn’t got beyond a hat tally. Dog fashions are much more fun.
Not sure how many people read the comments but wanted to share something that happened to my family on Bernal Hill yesterday. I was up there around 4pm with my two year old twins and my dog, Nelson. The kids were enjoying their freedom to run and my daughter tripped. While bending over to help her and give her a hug, my dog was attacked by a pit bull. Chaos ensued and I screamed for the lady to get her dog and leave the park. I was incredibly scared for my dogs and my kids. The woman offered to share her information but I was so shaken up at the time, I just asked her to leave. My kids were sobbing and my dog was crying and it was really hard to get a read on what had happened. When I finally got everyone home I was able to clean my dog off and found severe puncture wounds and as it turns out, he was in really tough shape. I took him to our vet and $500 later, we were home with pain meds and antibiotics. Nelson is in a lot of pain and is limping – but he is okay. I write this for two reasons – 1.) I am begging all dog owners and walkers to keep their dogs on leash if they are aggressive. Of course, this woman said, “my dog has never done this before”….but is that what they all say? This dog knew how to attack and he was thrashing my pretty big dog. 2.) I write because I want everyone to be aware of this dog. In the chaos I really didn’t get a good look at its colors. I think he was a darker Pit Bull, the owner was pregnant and the car was black. If you see this dog, please,please, please beware.
In hindsight, I wish I had obtained this woman’s information. Dogs like this are unacceptable in public places.
So sorry to hear it, LM. Yes, these types of incidents are totally traumatizing for all involved. Please give Nelson a hug from his neighbors.
Really sorry to hear about Nelson. 😦 Heal up soon, and please let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.
Hopefully the DOG OWNER will read this and have the guts to try and reach out with their info to poor Nelson and his family again. They shouldnt be laiden with the trauma AND the bill when their dog did not provoke the attack.
Thanks so much, all. Nelson is doing much better. Won’t walk that one spot on the hill, but other than that – he’s healing well.
can i ask… Where did this event occur? I was up on the hill but must have been in the wrong part. That is always the number one fear i have when i see so many dogs off leash together. It just isnt fair for the little helpless pups to have big aggressive dogs bulling them. Luckily i see it rarely happen. Glad to hear that Nelson is recovering nicely. That is a very traumatizing thing to have to experience!!!
Why does this illustration look so much like Wendy MacNaughtons work??? I guess it’s a compliment.
I thought that too… and was tempted to send it to her! A while back I asked her to do something about Bernal… I’ll keep nagging her.
I don’t know why it looks like Wendy MacNaughton’s work. Perhaps it’s because we both grew out of a tradition that values sketching. But I am flattered to be compared to her. I discovered her book about the Main Library a few months ago and I think she’s great. Still, I promise you that my style is all home-grown.
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