Clarion Alley

Located in the block formed by 17th & 18th and Mission and Valencia Streets (parallel to 17th)...Clarion Alley has been an enchanted site of bohemian culture at least as far back as the early sixties when artists like the Cockettes and Terry Riley performed in the same warehouse that the Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP) was based in until its demolition last year. CAMP was established in October 1992 by a volunteer collective of six North Mission residents: Aaron Noble, Michael O'Connor, Sebastiana Pastor, Rigo 92, Mary Gail Snyder, and Aracely Soriano. Photographer Fiona O'Connor documented CAMP from the beginning. Other members of CAMP over the years include Carolyn Castano, Diego Diaz, Kate Ellis, Permi Gill, Maya Hayuk and Vincent Oresman. Currently CAMP is run by Administrative Director Megan Wilson with a revolving group of volunteers including founding members Noble, Rigo 02, and Pastor, alley residents Jenn Bowman, Jonathan Parra, and Brian Dawson, and Mission artists Lucena Valle and Andy Schoultz.

CAMP was directly inspired by the mural cluster in Balmy Alley focused on Central American social struggles. CAMP did not choose a single theme however, instead focusing on the two goals of social inclusiveness and aesthetic variety. As a result CAMP has produced more than 100 murals on and around Clarion Alley by Latino, Caucasian, African-American, Native American, Asian, Indian, Queer and disabled artists of all ages and all levels of experience, with an emphasis on emerging artists and new styles. Clarion Alley was a key site for the development of the aesthetic that has become known as the Mission School, and boasts significant works by Carolyn Castano, Carolyn Ryder Cooley, Kenneth Huerta, Chris Johanson, Alicia McCarthy, Barry McGee, Jesus Angel Perez, Cynthia Rojas, Andy Schoultz, Daniel Segoria, Christine Shields, Scott Williams and many others.

Recent Murals by: Andrew Schoultz & Aaron Noble (18th and Lexington), Bryan Dawson & Rogelio Martinez & Sayaka Tagawa, Emily (butterfly), Eric Derail, Isis, Ivy McClelland, J Garcia, Jessica Miller, Lucena Valle, Marisa Jahn & Steve Shada, Rigo 02 & Aaron Noble, Scott Cowgill, SFAI Students, Sirron Norris, Xylor Jane

http://www.meganwilson.com/related/clarion.php

Posted by delpesco at April 27, 2004 09:54 AM