I’m a bit of a fan of street art. I’m not an expert by any means — I don’t know the names and portfolios and histories of the art and artists, except for a handful of the most famous ones — but I love it. I’m happy to live in a neighborhood and a city with a lot of it (although honestly, the cause and effect probably works the other way — I’ve gotten into street art because I see so much of it). I stop and appreciate it and go “ooh! aah!” when I see it. I’ve been taking a lot of photos of it… and it occurs to me that maybe I should share them with the rest of the class.
So I’m going to start doing that.
Here’s a piece in the Mission district of San Francisco, on either Hampshire or York, I don’t remember. I’ve seen this artist’s work around a lot, and I like it. It almost always has one of these alien/ elf women with the pointy ears. Don’t know what it is about pointy ears. As Lore Sjoberg says on Brunching Shuttlecocks, “Somewhere in the back of the mind of every D&D-playing junior-high-schooler is the equation ‘pointy ears = cool.’” Anyway, I think this piece is beautiful. I love the elegance of the pearls, and the stylized brushstrokes in the background doing that Escher transformation into butterflies. And I have a special soft spot for delicate, elegant art in scruffy industrial settings.
BTW, if anyone knows this artist’s name, please let me know, so I can credit them properly. It looks like there’s a signature in the lower right corner, but I can’t quite make it out. UPDATE: The artist has been identified! It’s Amandalynn. And she has a blog. Thanks to commenter mykell for the ID.
12 comments
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kagerato
June 27, 2012 at 9:16 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Interesting. I see the bottom as more like a field of flowers myself. Using the only bright colors on the skin/lips creates some serious contrast.
I can’t quite read that signature either. I’m getting ALYNN M?gat? . Migati? Megati? Megato? The two nouns being in different styles suggests to me that this isn’t a complete name. Perhaps one is a name or reference for the image itself.
miller
June 27, 2012 at 9:28 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I like this new series on street art already.
mykell
June 27, 2012 at 9:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This might help: http://amandalynnpaintings.blogspot.com/2012/01/ice-queens-of-2012.html
rodriguez
June 27, 2012 at 10:55 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
oh yes more please!
hotshoe
June 28, 2012 at 2:37 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Garage door ? That’s a kinda special category of mural art.
I’d love to see it in person. Thanks for sharing the photo – yes, more please!
psanity
June 28, 2012 at 2:44 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That’s definitely one of the things I miss most, not living in SF anymore. I wonder if Precita Eyes still does the alley tours — maybe I can get a quick fix if I get out there this fall.
And food. I miss fabulous neighborhood restaurant food.
Diabolics .|.
June 28, 2012 at 7:53 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I miss being able to walk down places like Clarion alley in the Mission. Great street art. Now I live in a country where street art is less accessible (i.e. a crime and socially stigmatized).
Lou Doench
June 28, 2012 at 8:00 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I remember seeing a lot of that kind of art in SF. Very cool, thanks for sharing.
asmallcontempt
June 28, 2012 at 9:51 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I love street art! Chicago is covered in it, though mostly crappy taggers (who I think are akin to the “petulant teenager” stereotype rather than actually deserving of the “street art” label).
There’s a French artist named Ludo that swept through and left some really cool insect/tech mashups all over, seen here: http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2011/08/ludo-in-chicago/
I like this segment! Please continue.
fastlane
June 28, 2012 at 11:26 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
There is a lot of this kind of art in Germany, too. I need to dig through my pics (mostly film back then) and see if I can get some scanned. I remember being most impressed walking through a tunnel under a street, in Koblenz (I think), where almost every inch of the tunnel walls were covered in ‘graffiti’, beautifully done, only a few of the images overlapped or interfered with another. My wife and I actually wound up lingering in that tunnel for a good 30 minutes or more, just admiring all the art.
hotshoe
June 28, 2012 at 11:37 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
psanity:
If you do come, get in touch. Maybe we can meet up and do an art tour … I live some distance from SF and need a special reason to justify a visit there.
I didn’t remember hearing that Greta lives in SF and I certainly don’t want to impose just because she does, but maybe we can include Greta as well, maybe get together over lunch ?
Anyone else ?
Feel free to contact me, leslierussellgreen at that yahoo company so many people use for their emails.
Kristine
June 28, 2012 at 2:45 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Butterflies? Greta, those are BIRDS.
Now come visit Last Gasp and post some Sirron art.
xoxo