Our neighbors at Stamen Design specialize in making beautiful and useful maps and data visualizations, not far from Bernalwood in the Mission District. Their new watercolor map digital tiles look particularly nice:
Reminiscent of hand drawn maps, our watercolor maps apply raster effect area washes and organic edges over a paper texture to add warm pop to any map.
Reader Laurie has a question for the Bernalwood Intelligence Agency:
Do you think any of your readers would be able to ID this yellow flower, sketched on the west side of the hill yesterday?
The largest one was just over an inch in diameter.
Neighbor Ellen captured this magical little moment during last week’s heavy rains:
I was walking along Jarboe last week and saw that one of my favorite painted fence got some help from a passerby 🙂
PHOTO: Ellen Divers
For the last few days, the Bernalwood news hotline has been buzzing with reports of a new street art stencil spotted in several spots along Cortland Avenue.
The stencils say: “Welcome to Bernalandia.”
The creator of the stencils is unknown, and the purpose of the campaign remains a mystery.
Candidly, we applaud the neighborly message and the tasteful typography. But we are obligated to note that the stencils deviate from official branding and naming conventions. Formally speaking, these stencils appear in the Cortlandia subdistrict, which is part of the Dominion of Bernalwood.
If anyone knows more about the origin and meaning of the stencils, please do share the intel. Likewise, representatives from the Bernalwood Division of Branding and Nomenclature would be interested in talking with the creators, in the hope that we can all stay on-brand. Thank you for your understanding.
PHOTOS: From top, Ann Lam, Mason Kirby, @shesanightowl
Bernal Neighbor Ned Buskirk is hosting the latest edition of his open mike series for poetry, prose, and music called You’re Going to Die, tomorrow night, Feb 29, at 8 pm at Viracocha (on Valencia at 21st):
There will be a set list of performers [guaranteed lovelies] to take up part of the night… signup will also be that night for anyone else.
When there are 20 total performers for the night, you’re outta luck.
The list fills up quick, so if you want to perform, you’d better get there early…If you’re going to read, keep it under 5 MINUTES long. That’s right: 5 MINUTES. WE WILL TIME YOU. And we will hug you when we have to stop you [just to make it easier on you (or harder – depending on your propensity for intimacy).
As far as reading goes, you can bring anything you want to read.
It doesn’t have to be poetry. It doesn’t have to be yours.
Full details about the event on the Facebook. Bonus: Here’s a Bay Citizen write-up about last month’s issue of “You’re Going to Die,” for the curious.
Reader Laurie brings us a visual update on last Saturday’s (very chilly) meetup for visual artists that took place on Bernal Hill:
Report from the sketching session: Seven people came and we had a good time sketching, even if our fingers were a little blue by the time we headed for the Progressive Grounds for the meetup part of the day.
Here’s a link to see more of the Bernal Hill portfolio.
Pack up your charcoals and watercolors, because Reader Laurie brings news of a gathering for visual artists happening this weekend on Bernal Hill:
The just-formed Meetup group for San Francisco Urban Sketchers is having it’s first meeting this Saturday at 2:00, and it’s on Bernal Hill.
Here’s a description of the meetup:
Bernal Hill has great city views to sketch, but also plants, dogs and people. Find me near the bulletin board on the south side of the hill (near the parking area). I’ll wear a red jacket but you can probably spot me by the sketchbook I’ll have out.
I’ll wait around until 2:30 to see who shows up, then will head off sketching. We’ll meet up afterwards at the Progressive Grounds Cafe (corner of Cortland and Bennington) to see how it went. Showing your sketches is optional.
If it’s raining we’ll meet at the Progressive Grounds to sketch people drinking coffee and writing emails, and maybe the odd lonely dog waiting outside.
The Meetup group is open to anyone, but I’m also always looking for sketching buddies to join me for a few quick sketches up the Hill.
IMAGE: View east from Bernal Hill, by Reader Laurie
Bucky Knaebel shared something very cool with Bernalwood:
I finally got my last short film online. I filmed it at 4 Star Video, and it won the Audience Award at the Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema last season.
And no wonder… it’s mighty charming. And smart. And funny. And sweet. Thanks and congratulations, Bucky!
Look for it in front of 814 Moultree, just south of Crescent.
PHOTO: throgers, via the Bernalwood Flickr group.
Bernal resident Ellen Divers left the familiar comfort of our neighborhood behind to travel the world and capture the photos that are now on display at Cafe Seventy8. She writes:
I’m showing my photos now at Cafe Seventy8, at 29th and Tiffany (near the post office). I’ve lived in Bernal Heights for 14 years; I’m a local 🙂 The pictures are from my travels in the US and Europe. The cafe is open 7a-7p daily. Great food and coffee too.
PHOTOS: From top: Ventimilgia, Italy; leaves in New Orleans; Moonzie Castle, Scotland. All photos by Ellen Divers
True Confession: I haven’t been thrilled with some of the more recent pieces created by the muralists from Precita Eyes. Kind of tired. Kind of formulaic. But the organization got a new(er) van recently, and the graphics they painted on it look really great. Plus, whenever it’s parallel parked, it becomes a mobile mural installation. Genius.
PHOTO: The new Precita Eyes van at Precita Park. By Telstar Logistics
Our beloved Bikini Jogger enjoys a legendary reputation, and now her aura shines even brighter, thanks to some street art stencils that pay homage to her famous fitness technique.
Bluepearlgirl spotted the stencils around Bernalwood:
So this had me in stitches! I thought it was just great. Our elusive Yeti on pavement! I stopped in at Chuck’s to get a soda, and then continued on up to Holly Park. When my friend and i got to the top of the stairs, I couldn’t believe it!! There she was again! Our Bikini jogger, immortalized again in paint.
PHOTOS: Bluepearlgirl
Neighbor Lauren Becker has been busy of late, creating industrial-chic tableware from recycled glass. This weekend she’s having an open studio at Recycled Glassworks on Bonview to release some of her new work:
Ever wondered why Bernal Heights doesn’t have any traffic lights once you leave the “flatlands” of Mission/Cesar Chavez/Bayview?
I have them. Sort of.
I just got a good load of traffic lights lenses in — thrown out by surrounding neighborhoods. When they leave my art studio, they have been turned into eye-catching plates. In my Bernal studio, I have been upcycling plate glass into functional tableware for many years. Usually I create artful bowls and dishes from windows, which were discarded by contractors or homeowners nearby.
Occasionally, traffic light lenses come my way. The traffic light dishes are a rare sighting because most glass lenses have already been replaced by more efficient LED lights. If you hate red lights, here is your revenge: eat from them!
This weekend, for the first time, I will open the doors for a Holiday Open Studio where the neighbors can see the entire collection:
Saturday/Sunday (Dec 17/18), noon to 5pm at 238 Bonview St (half a block from Cortland Ave, around the corner from Avedanos).
PHOTOS: Recycled Glassworks
Bernalwood 