Monday Mural: totem pole mural

This totem pole is behind Rock, Paper, Scissors, an art collective in Uptown.  It is a recent addition to this mural and is tucked into a small space at the top of a ramp.  I thought it was too cool to be sitting among trash cans and refuse.  Unfortunately, I didn't see a signature.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

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I'll be out of town for a most of the week so will be unable to leave comments until later.

Monday Mural: sing a song, Ray

The one, the only Ray Charles.  In my humble opinion no one can hold a candle to him.  Lots of joy emanating from this one.  I'm thinking the mural is not only an homage, but also a visual pun about rhythm and blues.  The cartouche probably holds the signature of the artist, but is unknown to me.  Hopefully someone will tells us.  Found on Telegraph Avenue in the Uptown area.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

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al fresco

The weather has been so nice this summer that you see plenty of people enjoying a meal outside.  This is Picán, a southern-style restaurant on Broadway in the Uptown area.

Monday Mural: we are the ones

This mural was done by Jessica Sabogal an Oakland and San Francisco artist.  She is originally from Bogotá and focuses her art on images of women.  These faces are actually portraits of children she knows.  Her Facebook page doesn't contain a full explanation of the mural but I surmise the children represent a more self-accepting and confident future generation.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

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Monday Mural: over the fence

Walking through Uptown on the hunt for new murals I spotted this one.  I wish I could see what the fence is hiding.  Looks like the guy is smoking pretty strong stuff.  This comic book look is a collaboration between Irot, Ham, and Niteowl.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

Monday Mural: automotive babes

This is the introduction to the mural I've shown you over the past three weeks.  Typical for me, I can't read the pieces that indicate the artist's names.  If you can, more power to you.  I've learned to appreciate the nuance in this type of font but that doesn't help me read it.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

Monday Mural: Bart Simpson in space

This is another part of the mural I showed you a couple of weeks ago.  Bart and his siblings are flying off into space while Homer is hiding in a storm trooper uniform.  The green man is from The Jetsons if memory serves correctly.  Once again I can only shrug about the meaning of the composition but I have to admit I think it's pretty comical.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the murals posted this week.

Google+ users please configure your blog to accept comments from regular Google users.  Thanks.

Monday Mural: furry little critters

Lots of newer murals are adorning walls in Uptown, mostly on car repair businesses.  Many of them are primarily intricate signatures which I still haven't learned to read.  This comical wall is more accessible, regardless of whether or not you like it.  Frankly, all those smiles and sharp teeth make me laugh.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

Temple Sinai

Temple Sinai is a reform synagogue located on the edge of the Uptown area.  The congregation was established in the late 1880s after European Jews settled in the area subsequent to the Gold Rush.  This building was built in 1910 and proudly sits on the corner of Webster and 28th Street.  The most recent rains did not appear and we are now doomed to sunny skies for at least another week.  In the meantime, trees are leafing out and spring blooms are everywhere.  Linking to Skywatch Friday.

chopped Chevy

I wish I had asked the owner more about this car.  I have no idea if this is an original design or it has been modified to cultivate a cool look.  Taken when there were leaves on the trees.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: hidden faces

This large scale mural looks like a group effort but I didn't see any signatures.  I feel I should know the artists by the distinctive styles, but sadly I don't.  This is one of those images that invites free association to uncover meaning.  Maybe something about the need of street artists to stay anonymous?  You tell me.  The writing down the side of the wall says Rock Paper Scissors, the art collective whose back wall is the canvas.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and to visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

the new, new Parkway Theater

The New Parkway, a theater for second run movies, has recently opened in the Uptown area.  Folks are happy to have them back since they had to close their original space in 2009.  They continue to have family night where babies are welcome.  Apparently you can also decided how much to pay for your ticket.  That should be an interesting experiment.

fun and funky vintage car

Someone is working on a vintage car.  I have no idea of the make.  But I bet Louis La Vache will tell us.  The car seems fantastic, fun, and now a little funky.  Hope they have all the parts.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Great Western Power Company

The white building with the smoke stack was originally the Great Western Power Company, a steam generation plant in the 20s.  The operation shut down in the 30s and most recently has been converted into a huge gym.  Along with standard workouts they offer yoga and rock and rope climbing classes.  The smoke stack figures catch the eye for blocks around.  The cirrus clouds are common in the late afternoon.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.

steel flowers

Recently Oakland created a temporary sculpture display in the Uptown area.  This giant flower is by Karen Cusolito who runs the American Steel studios.  Her giant creations are often seen at Burning Man.  This piece is at least 10 feet tall and reaches to the blue skies that appear in the afternoon after the "marine layer" burns off.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.

steel and lace

I thought this was an incredible paint job on this vintage car.  It reminds me of Chantilly lace.  Spotted at the car show during Art Murmur.

Z is for zany

 

At a Friday Art Murmur I noticed this guy wearing a vest he had decorated with parts of a vegetable steamer basket.  (Zany is all around you at Art Murmur).  I thought it was clever, amusing, and pretty fashion forward.  We got to talking and he told me he made jewelry.  Ever helpful, I encouraged him to get a booth in this building to show and sell his work.  He was quite polite when he told me that Gump's and Bloomingdales were already his clients.  Oh.  Never mind.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

building ad

Can't miss this ad when you're driving by.  Makes billboards seem puny.  Spotted in Uptown on Telegraph and Grand Avenue.

ABC Wednesday: X is for Xolo

Welcome to Xolo (and you thought I wouldn't find an X!).  It is a newish taqueria owned by the same people who own the popular Doña Tomás.  Who wouldn't love the periwinkle walls and harlequin floors.

The Yelp reviews tout the el vampiro taco, which I had to try.  It has marinated pork with a red sauce and the usual cilantro and onion toppers.  Delicious; but three bucks for a taco is pricey compared to the dollar and a quarter you pay at most taco trucks around town.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: post-apocalyptic giraffe

Throughout much of Oakland, utility boxes are canvases for local artists.  This one is located in the Uptown area and was captured during an Art Murmur event.  It looks like the giraffe wandered into a Godzilla movie.  Lots of detail and layering in this piece.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.  Sorry about the delay.  It was due to a posting error.