Old Oak Street Fire Station

Today I was walking by and was invited in to look around. The officer from the Sheriff's Office told me if the doors are open, you're welcome to come on in. The building is being restored and eventually will be the HQ for the new Guardians of City Museum which will cover Police, Fire and Sheriff's Dept. History etc. I'm glad this building is being restored and staying in public hands. There are some old fire engines inside, it's pretty cool. The building is in relatively good shape as a new roof was put on some years back, but it prevented a lot of water damage.

The location of the main museum is yet to be determined in either a new or existing structure, probably downtown. Imagine keeping it in the neighborhood though? The tow truck garage on Fell behind the fire station perhaps? Maybe the Harding Theatre? Or imagine a museum where the ARCO station is on Fell and Divisadero.

The old station is across the street from the oldest house (still standing) in San Francisco. Today I learned that house caught fire after the 1906 Earthquake and was saved by the crew from the station. Which also probably saved the neighborhood from fire as well.

From Old Maps to Aviation Charts

Ten years ago I started creating collages made completely from old maps. Eventually I started including nautical charts as well. Now my latest work is incorporating old Jeppesen Aviation Charts.

When I look at the completed piece, I wonder if it more than a coincidence that it's August and the Dahlia Garden in Golden Gate Park is now in full bloom.

Spring 2010: There is now a set of inexpensive art postcards for sale from this series.

When art meets theatre

Yesterday was the 7th Annual San Francisco Theatre Festival. This is becoming one of my favorite local events. It can be a bit overwhelming with so many stages/venues and so many things to choose from. One has to do a bit of research beforehand and figure out what to see in order to have some focus. I arrived about an hour before the plays I wanted to see were scheduled. I knew if I wandered around I'd find a few more things.

For me the day's gem was from a work in progress called Paris Portraits performed by Laura Sheppard from the Mechanic's Institute. Currently it's a one woman show where the author Harriet L. Levy is recalling her experiences in Paris in 1907 with Alice B. Toklas. Levy and Toklas where right in the middle of the Paris art world, meeting Matisse, Picasso, etc. I immediately found myself pulled right into the story. And this was no easy task, it was a crowded space with a lot of background noise on the first floor of SPUR. The modern space also wasn't the best setting. But no matter. I sat their imaging this performance done for select audiences of about 20 in smart Victorian living rooms around San Francisco. I also wanted to be sitting on a divan in the Legion of Honor listening to this story. I think the next time I want to be wearing a period costume.

The festival ended for me catching the tail end of the Thrillpeddler's Pearls Over Shanghai. That was in the Forum space at Yerba Buena. I have seen the show twice and I must say it never sounded better. The acoustics in that space are perfect. I wish I could see the whole show there.