Hayes Valley Art Works Exhibit Recap

April 2021

Window to The Bay #13

Happy Friday! Earlier this month my son went to kindergarten in person for the first time after months of zoom school. As I walked him to school at the end of the week we stopped by The Mill bread and coffee shop for a celebratory muffin and I was reminded of this coffee shop watercolor portrait I painted five years ago in 2016. While my family is not specifically in the scene, it certainly reflects our stage of life and experience of the neighborhood at that time with regular weekend visits to The Mill for Four Barrel Coffee and Josey Baker “adventure bread” with baby in tow in a carrier, or a toddler strolling along in a radio flyer tricycle. Sitting on the front benches with my sweet six year old sharing a special treat I couldn’t help but reminisce to those earlier days and wonder how could he be in grade school already? This scene also has a joyful reminder of pre-COVID days without masks, where neighbors could congregate or enjoy crossing paths inside the beautiful gallery like space, rather than line up on sidewalk markers out front. Something to look forward to again sooner or later!

Laura Ann Studio at Hayes Valley Art Works

Recap of The HVAW Holiday Exhibition

I was delighted to exhibit two watercolor portraits at the Hayes Valley Art Works Holiday Exhibit featuring the work of community artists which started in December and stayed up until just last week. You can’t miss the brightly painted container gallery in the garden space on Octavia Street as you exit the highway. Along with the portrait of The Mill and the “NOPA” neighborhood which I originally painted for a San Francisco Beautiful Muni Art contest with a neighborhoods theme, I exhibited a print of a Victorian “painted ladies” house portrait which was one of my earliest San Francisco home paintings leading up to “Window to The Bay.” The famous homes of postcard road known from the “Full House” opener are so often painted together. As an Alamo Square local I love admiring each home for it’s individuality. I call this one “Danny,” inspired by the personal traits of the famous TV character. It was painted prior to the fantastic recent addition of the @paintedladieslibrary.

The HVNA Holiday Exhibit came down last week to make way for an exhibit of paintings by attendees of Lucia Gonnella’s Watercolor Painting Workshops on Zoom for Hayes Valley Art Works. I look forward to seeing it!

Coincidentally both paintings from five years ago are stand alone portraits in potential series that would be fun to paint to completion someday - alas in 2016 San Francisco Beautiful selected 10 finalists to create a series of neighborhood themed paintings for display on Muni Art buses and my entry came in 11th! Similarly, I imagine “Danny” as the first in a series of individual portraits of the “postcard row” famous painted ladies all lined up, though I think I’ll wait until @pinkpaintedlady gets her full makeover (if you’re a fan of historic preservation, this is a fun account to follow!). Send me a note if you have a favorite coffee shop or San Francisco personality you’d love to see painted into a neighborhood or painted lady portrait - I’d be delighted to hear from you!

With love for the every day and special days,
Laura Ann Elbogen
P.S. Do you know someone who enjoys keeping up with the local San Francisco contemporary art? Forward this post!