Clarion Alley Mural Cuba x Estria x Ceyba

Here's a two day production I did with the legendary Cuba in San Francisco's famous Clarion Alley. It runs between Mission St. and Valencia St. between 17th and 18th Streets.

We painted this freestyle jam a week after the Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle in October. It was a huge honor for me to finally paint with one of the first graffiti artists on the west coast. Cuba started painting in '79 in Baltimore and got serious in SF in '83. It was also an historic moment for me as it was my first mural in Clarion.



Cuba's health is not good, yet no complaints. He just got up on the ladder and did his thing. You got to admire that. Such a cool, humble cat. Doesn't call himself a king despite a long list of firsts under his belt. The man just loves to paint, and you can't help but feel that around him. It's contagious.



Clarion is well known as a mural alley. Whereas SF's first mural alley, Balmy Alley is known for political murals, Clarion is known for being open to subject matter. Yes it does include some hipster stuff.





Thanks to Ceyba for video taping and interviewing Cuba. (We'll post later.) Thank you also for bringing the family and homies and making it a great day to be alive in la Mission.



Photos courtesy Mike Bam Tyau

Custom Painted Adidas Auction Sat. 10/31 San Francisco

Shoebiz SF x Adidas x Living Word Project
Don't Sweat the Technique: Kicks & Cans

Graffiti writers from this past year's battles will paint 20 pairs of Adidas Shelltoes and Stan-Smith kicks for an auction to help youth in Oakland and orphans in Africa. Shoebiz will donate all proceeds to: YouthSpeaks.org & YouthAgainstPoverty.com

Participating Artists in Custom Painted Shoe Auction

Hawai'i:
Estria :: Eukarezt :: Katch :: Bam

Chicago:
Chucho :: Melon :: Rome Won :: Tsel :: Like DC5 :: Gloe

New York:
Cekis :: Queen Andrea :: Cern :: Wane

California:
Max Ehrman Eon75 :: Vogue :: Vyal One :: Twick :: Chez

12noon - 6:00PM

Shoe Biz + Adidas Concept Shop
1420 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

More info and photos of the shoes here: www.shoebizsf.com

Queen Andrea AOK, of New York City

Katch, of Hawai'i

Chucho DC5, of Chicago

Tsel, of Chicago

Eukarezt, of Hawai'i

Max Erhman Eon75, of Florida

Gloe, of Chicago

Rome Won, of Chicago

Chez, of the Bay Area

SHOEBIZ x Adidas is a proud sponsor of the 2009 National Finals in Oakland, CA. Prizes for winners and shirts were provided for all contestants.

Emergency Action for Bernal Library Mural - Call Mayor Today!!!!

Folks,
I just got word of this from my homegirl.

I am so sad, my classmates and I, as well as kids from every youth group in Bernal Heights at the time, helped paint elements of this beautiful mural that will soon be painted over. Please call and tell others to take a minute to call. Bernal heights was a blue collar, diverse, family and youth oriented community that is now being stripped of this culture to make way for middle class white residents. Help preserve this piece of Bernal Heights culture.
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Gente; We got screwed last week. We all need to spend fifteen minutes on the phone, calling or e-mailing the five folks below or the mural will be PAINTED OUT as early as next week! Even though the Arts Commission in September stated publicly that the mural issue was tabled and they were sending the matter back to the library commission, THEY VOTED LAST WEDNESDAY TO PAINT OUT 2/3 OF THE MURAL (east & south sides). You need to call today or tonight, or tomorrow at the latest! And get your family, friends and colleagues to call! It's Only way gain a little time to stop them from erasing our History and Presence from Bernal.

I got a call at 4:00 PM on Wednesday that the commission was on item #6 and we were item #9 and the resolution was to paint out 2/3 of the mural. When Luis Aroche, who grew up in Bernal, and I got there our white racist neighbors were all there talking shit. I asked that they table the motion on the grounds of no notice to supporters but they shined me on.

They critiqued the mural, that the community has change and Latinos need to move on, our artists, and that they want to maintain the architectural design (white walls only). When I told Debra Walker, who is an artist and running to be district supervisor in District #6, she said the Art Commission president had told her a deal had been made! Someone sold us out!!! It stinks like SHIT!!

We need to hold all of the folks below accountable. One of them should of told me about the hearing. All five know of our interest in the issue.

Call Today and tell them to restore and update ALL THREE SIDES OF THE MURAL AND DON'T PAINT OUT OUR HISTORY. We need to be vigilant because DPW could come by next week and paint out the east and south sides. If you want to be more involved let me know. El Tecolote and KPOO- Con Clave (Chata's Salsa program) have covered the story this past weekend. We need everyone to take 15 minutes today!!

Tell five people to DO SOMETHING!! If the mural is Painted Out it is on all of us!!! If you can only make ONE CALL, CALL THE MAYOR - 554-6141. Push the Neighborhood Center to assigned staff to this matter and support restoring all three sides of the mural!!

Mayor Gavin Newsom

415-554-6141 or gavin.newsom@sfgov.org,

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano

415-557-3013 or Tom.Ammiano@asm.ca.gov,

Supervisor David Campos

415-554-5144 or david.campos@sfgov.org,

Supervisor John Avalos

415-554-6975 or john.avalos@sfgov.org,

Joseph Smooke

Bernal Hts. Neighborhood Center

415-206-2140 ext. 157 or jsmooke@bhnc.org,

Si Se Puede! Stop the Latino History Paintout/Save the Bernal Mural committee

Mauricio E. Vela
Principal
Vela Consulting
45 Ellert St. S.F. 94110
Home/Office: (415) 550-6487
Cell: (415) 298-6487