City of Awesome paintings
San Francisco has beautiful landscapes, but it’s the people who really make this city awesome. I use the City of Awesome series of paintings to collectively explore that idea.
At events, in cafes, in classrooms, and on the street, I would use worksheets to ask people, “What do you do to help make your community be so awesome?” Then I would ask them to draw a picture of themselves doing that thing - “no skill needed, stick figures okay.”
Once collected, I cut these self-portrait drawings out and collaged them into paintings of the city.
This was a labor-intensive process, but I loved how it allowed me to challenge over 1000 people to think creatively about their role in society.
Above is the self-portrait Matt drew on a worksheet, and below you can see his awesomeness incorporated into the “Awesomeness on Market Street” painting.
Awesomeness Fueled by Pie
acrylic and mixed media on canvas, collaborative, 24 x 18", 2012 SOLD
People at Mission Pie drew pictures of themselves making San Francisco more awesome during the Awesome City exhibit. Those drawings were collaged directly onto the canvas.
Awesomeness on Market Street
acrylic and crowd-sourced mixed media on canvas, 28" x 22", 2012, SOLD
People on Market Street at the corner of Golden Gate drew pictures of themselves in action making San Francisco more awesome during the 2 Blocks of Art festival on September 28, 2012 and during a visit to Hospitality House.
24th Street Awesomeness
acrylic and crowd-sourced mixed media on canvas, 11" x 14", 2012 SOLD
All of the figures in this painting are self-portraits of people in action making San Francisco more awesome. They were all drawn at a Sunday Streets event in the Mission District in July, 2012.
View of San Francisco Awesomeness
acrylic and crowd-sourced mixed media on canvas, 24" x 36", 2012 SOLD
People at the San Francisco Green Film Festival, Mission Arts and Performance Project, Flax Art Store, Sunday Streets, and Lincoln High school drew pictures of themselves making San Francisco more awesome. These drawings are included in this painting featuring a view from Japantown.
Awesomeness in San Francisco
acrylic and crowd-sourced mixed media on canvas, 30" x 24", 2012 SOLD
City of Awesome - Soundwave ((5)) at the MakeOutRoom
crowd-sourced mixed media and acrylic on canvas, 8" x 10", 2012 for sale
The people in this painting are self-portrait drawings by people at Big Bang, a benefit for the Soundwave art and sound festival held at the Make-Out Room.
City of Awesome: Portland
acrylic and mixed media on canvas, with accompanying booklet, 2012
The people in this painting are self-portraits drawn by people in Portland to represent what they do to make Portland more awesome.
Dance City
acrylic and crowd-sourced mixed media on canvas, 20" x 24", 2010, for sale
This painting includes self portraits of dancers at a public "flashmob" dance party - Flashdance - which I colored and collaged onto the canvas.
Galileo Awesomeness
acrylic and crowd-sourced mixed media on canvas, 30" x 24", 2012 SOLD
Students and some faculty at Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, where I worked in varying capacities for 17 years, drew pictures of themselves in action, making San Francisco more awesome.
I thought I had completed the City of Awesome series, but then I won the opportunity to create art for city buses as part of the SF Beautiful Muni Art program. Below is the 18 panel 42-foot long painting that was displayed inside of 10 San Francisco buses.
