The art on the walls of Clarion Alley, in the Mission District of San Francisco, calls out with its vibrant colors, eccentric iconography, and socially conscious messages. Stroll the alleyway—between Valencia and Mission and 17th and 18th—and find Southeast Asian elephants; a black-and-white mural of forceful fists and graphics reminiscent of Picasso’s Guernica; pink, yellow, and green unicorns floating in an Atari-like landscape on a garage; and random marquees amid vivid imagery, like a marking that says, “A Hard God is Good to Find.”
The backdrop is whimsical, but the occasional piece of trash or stench of urine brings you back to your senses: the alley embodies both the beauty and the grit of urban culture. The murals, ever-changing, have been around for decades, representing the city’s cultures, political messages, and collaborative community efforts. Note: These shots were not taken this year, so the art featured may or may not still be on display. I plan to take photographs here again soon.
Ann and Katie, best friends from college.
Patrick and Jennifer, during an engagement shoot.
A hard god is good to find.
Pisces sisters Ann and Katie, sitting next to a pair of fish.
Patrick.
Lauren, a photographer directing subjects during a shoot.
A candid shot of Jennifer and Patrick.
Katie (and her fabulous red coat).
Patrick and Jennifer, embracing in front of a mural.
The new site design looks fantastic! And it’s made it easier to look back over past posts, which is how I found this one! Especially love the Patrickskull (very Mex), the floor fish, and most of all the lady centaur. Keep up the great work…
Thanks for the feedback on the new design — I agree, it makes it easier to find older posts, although I’m still not definite I’ll keep the theme. This alley in the Mission District is one of my favorites — colorful walls, and lots of funky stuff, too. I love the lady centaur, too!
I agree with Nick… Patrick/Skulls…
Looking forward to seeing current murals from the same areas.
Nice shots.
Sweet. I like the one of Patrick-skull the best.
Be interesting to see if and how the murals have changed when you head back.