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42 degrees is a new arts agency based in San Francisco. It is the culmination of a continuum of conversations between Ricardo Richey (APEX) and Lani Rovzar regarding the changing cultural landscape of San Francisco. Ricardo Richey is a local artist who has become increasingly in demand by many of the new start-ups located in the SF Bay Area. His clients have often asked for his advice on the idiosyncrasies of the art world in the Bay Area, a topic many of them lack in expertise. Long-time SF arts administrator, Lani Rovzar has been concerned about the flight of many local artists due to the raising cost of living. There seemed to be a disconnection between the opportunities for San Francisco based artists and the desire to have local art. They saw a need to bridge the gap and formed 42 degrees to bring local businesses, the city, and private collectors to the same table as local artists, enabling them to more easily make investments into our arts culture and make it more readily accessible to the greater community at large.

42 degrees provides creative services, consultancy, and events planning. They believe in fostering arts education, a culturally rich community, and provide opportunities for their clients to participate in this endeavor. 42° is a recognized fiscal sponsored organization of the Intersection for the Arts Incubator Program, and is eligible for grants and may be able to provide tax-deductible recognition of contributions for eligible projects.

Their roster of artists began with artist friends who they knew shared their vision and concern for the integrity of the arts in the Bay Area. It has grown as they have met and vetted other amazing talent. 42 degrees is always open to meet and potentially work with or represent local artists.

About Project°901

One of their first projects of ongoing local art installations with high public visibility is Project°901. Over a 10 month period, they brought San Francisco’s City Planners, Hudson Pacific Properties and Nordstom Rack together to further beautify the Mid-Market corridor and engage the passersby through a rotating series of window art installations by emerging and established Bay Area artists. In partnership with Hudson Pacific Properties, they created an installation in an unexpected setting in ground level display windows located in the historic 901 Market Street building. The windows are on 5th Street between Market and Stevenson Alley. The installations are visible 24/7 with natural light during the day and special lighting in the evening. On this busy block adjacent to a bus stop and San Francisco Centre, shoppers, tourists and office workers alike can interact with art they would normally have to seek out in art galleries or sections of the city where street art is more common.

The artwork will change quarterly featuring different artists. Their goal is to highlight and patron the work of local emerging and established artists while enriching the Mid-Market neighborhood experience.

The first installment for Project°901 is by SF-based street artist and co-founder of 42 degrees, Ricardo Richey, known as APEX. It will be on view until the end of March. His installation is two large-scale pieces of spray painted mirrors.  The color and form of the design are reflective of two of his distinctive styles.  The use of mirrors encourages the pedestrians to interact with the art, be it by checking out their personal appearance in the center mirrors, taking personal and group selfies, viewing the depth of the design as it engulfs the viewer in a reflecting hall of mirrors where the design seamlessly repeats depending upon the angle viewed.

Learn about Apex

APEX has garnered much attention throughout the Bay Area and abroad, and has been commissioned by clients including Outside Lands, Spotify, the Puma lounge at the America’s Cup, Scion, Red Bull, Zynga, GoDaddy, and Starbucks.
Read his bio and view examples of his portfolio. Apex

Learn about 42 degrees

Read more about 42 degrees. Learn about their services and Intersection for the Arts Incubator Program. View the roster of artists and read their bios and see their art.

During 2014, Street Art SF photographed over 1600 pieces of art on the streets of San Francisco and Oakland. They ranged from small stickers and stencils to graffiti characters and large murals and pieces. Almost all of the art shown was done in 2014. With major contributions from Graff Hunter, Larry Jones and Nite Owl we were able to cover Oakland.

We looked at the number of page views per item on Streetartsf.com as well as the number of likes and re-blogs on tumblr and facebook to determine which pieces were the most popular. Notably there were quite a few artists who were consistent heavy “hitters” but did not have art in top posts. The art is shown in alpha order.

Following is a selection of murals that were painted during 2014 in San Francisco and Oakland by local and visiting artists.

In 2014 we saw reduced activity by some of the character artists from the prior year with increased activity from new ones.

We took several hundred photos of new graffiti pieces in 2014 by local and visiting crews and crew members. This is a sample of some walls that were painted by crews who got together for a few days. Some are by duos who frequently get up together. Others are pieces that were popular when originally posted.

Following is a sample of some graffiti stickers we found slapped this year in San Francisco and Oakland. Several artists were “new” for us but known on the street. Some of those artists: Bent, Binx, Diesto ,Euruca, Gappy, Just One, Kapala, Not Famous, Ra Da Sun, Randal Roberts, RX Skulls,Skam, Stainer,Temple,Toxi, Voxx and Who Cares.

Following is a sampling of the 104 wheat paste we posted in 2014. Some posts contained several wheat paste photos. All were pasted up in San Francisco and Oakland in 2014. They are by local and visiting artists. Wheat Paste is very ephemeral. Since it is paper few made it past the rainy season, some were pasted over and others have been removed. Only several can still be found.

During 2014 there were several large scale murals painted in Oakland and San Francisco. These were some of the ones we captured.

Viewers have contacted us wanting to know where they can purchase art and other products by some of the artists they see on the street. In response we compiled this random sampling of artists and businesses with websites. In the process, we noticed the Big Cartel is a popular shop platform for artists. You can find other artists on that site who are not on this list.

We have also listed galleries we frequently show on our events page. Many of these galleries exhibit artworks by local street and emerging artists and graffiti writers and character artists. That special piece you saw at a show but did not purchase may still be available. The galleries will be happy to assist you. Please contact us if you are interested in a specific artist but do not know which gallery might have shown their art. Otherwise contact the galleries directly.These galleries can also make arrangements for a wall in your home to be painted.

You can contact the artists directly. Their online presence is shown in the right column on their artist page. Their pages can be accessed by selecting their name under artist tags.

Nite Owl

We are listing Nite Owl’s store first in appreciation for all the graffiti and street art photos he flicked and shared with us this past year to enhance our coverage of the SF Bay Area. Check it out. He has something special for everyone. Nite Owl

Where to purchase some Stickers

Herher Park
Not Famous
Sticker Robot
Robots Will Kill
Left Hand Wave
Eddie Colla
Dhestoe
RX Skulls
Egads
Filth Grime
Nite Owl
Skam
Zoltron

Local stores and Online Shops

ALynn – Mags
After Ours
Art Primo
Bode
Chopsticks Urban Art Store
CK1 Art
Cryptik
Daniel Boza
DTH (Downtown Heros)
Eddie Colla
Few and Far
Filth Grime
Forsley Brothers
Gauntlet Collection
Chris Granillo
Griffin One
Hernandez
HoodLabs sf
Hydro74
Mark Adamusik
Method Makers
Needles & Pens
Nite Owl
Nvazn One Art
Proof lab
The Art of Skinner
Somarts
Spank
TFK
Upper Playground
Zero Friends
Zio Ziegler Designs (Arte Stempre)
Zoltron

San Francisco Galleries

1AMSF
111 Minna Gallery
Gauntlet Gallery
Guerrero Gallery
Hashimoto Contemporary
Ian Ross Gallery
Luna Rienne
Shooting Gallery
Spoke Art
The Loin SF
Varnish Fine Art
White Walls SF
Wonderland SF

Oakland Galleries

Chopsticks Urban Art Space
Amor Eterno Tattoo
Ear Peace Records
Faultline Art Space
LuckyLo
LeQuiVive
Mary Weather
Nielsen Arts
Rock Paper Scissors collective

Yola visited San Francisco in 2012. We shared her art and did an interview. Recently she confronted a situation that can happen to anyone anywhere…

At this year’s international fine art photography fair PARIS PHOTO 2014, a Berlin photographer exhibited his photograph of my iconic paste-up from Warsaw, which I have called Pieta.

The framing of his photo is exactly the same as my original photograph of the artwork, which is widely accessible on my website, the Internet, and various publications.

You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to do a quick search on the net and find it that the original artwork was made by me, under my street-art name YOLA. And yet the photographer chose not to seek my permission to use the image. He didn’t bother to find out whose art he was photographing and to obtain the artist’s consent.

Imagine the outcry if he took of photo of Banksy’s art, or let’s say, Mona Lisa, and tried to sell it as a his masterpiece. Not to mention the lawsuit…

But YOLA? Well, he probably thought, I can get away with stealing this YOLA’s artwork and no one will notice. But someone did notice. And they got in touch with me to let me know that they just saw my piece at PARIS PHOTO. Signed by someone else’s name.

The Berlin/Helsinki gallery through which the photographer was trying to sell his photo has taken it down now. They have informed me that the photographer lied to them, assuring them he had the permission of the original artist (ie me) to use the image. They were quick to distance themselves from him. For them the matter is closed.

But is it? I am told that the photograph in question is included in the photographers book, also without my knowledge and permission.

So where do I stand legally? My artwork is in public domain, anyone with a camera can take a picture of it. How do I protect myself from copyright thieves?

See her art: Yola
Read her interview: Yola in San Francisco

Read what happened to SF Bay Area artist- Eddie Colla last year: It is only stealing if you get caught

I suppose I had several reasons for traveling to Hong Kong , outside of the obvious desire to visit this beautiful city. Its something I wanted to do since the very first time I watched ‘Ghost In The Shell’. After I competed my last show (w/ Eddie Colla and Hugh Leeman) at 111 Minna Gallery last February, I decided to take a break from art. After several years of pursuing art relentlessly, taking on every odd job I could to pay for my supplies/travels, while pursuing one project after another…I was officially spent. I told myself that I was going to take a a solid year off to get a better bearing on myself and what I wanted to do with my life. I thought of pursuing another career or moving to another city. All I knew for certain was the artistic drive I had felt over the years was all dried up.

I decided to spend most of my time pursuing work and saving money. I ended up finding work in a couple of galleries, bars, and working as a carpenters assistant. Finally I was starting to save money and not spend it all on art. Unfortunately, when I wasn’t working, without art, I had no idea what to do with myself. I was bored and agitated constantly. I took up watching shows on Netflix (mainly Breaking Bad) and reading. There’s was loads of books I wanted to read over the years, so now was the perfect time to catch up. Still, with all that, life without creating art is pretty meaningless for me. So after six moths of this…it was Hong Kong time!

I woke up one morning depressed as hell, so I went online and bought a three week ticket. I planned it a couple months in advance so I could do the necessary prep work. Originally I planned to just go there for vacation and sort my head out. However, soon after purchasing my ticket the urge to get started on art again crept back in. I spent the next two months putting together a new body of work to put up in HK, establishing connections and saving more money. I suppose my ‘purpose’ returned and it felt really good.

Thanks to my buddies ‘Advanced Mammal’ and Spencer Keeton Cunningham I had a host of contacts to take me around and show me the ropes over in HK. Upon arrival, I found the art scene over there to be very helpful, supportive and optimistic. I hit my first walls in the city with Caratoes and MASA. Soon after I met other artists who were equally as helpful. I bombed the old abandoned Hong Kong International airport with locals; Barlo and 4GET. Oddly enough, this was the only time during my trip in which I was approached by the police, they appeared to be more concerned with our safety than the fact that we were trespassing in order to do graffiti. Later on, 4GET and I ended up doing a collaboration mural together in the New Territories (Yuenlong). He was also of great assistance in getting me several legal walls (interior and exterior) in that area. I found people in that area to be very curious and open to what we were doing. I recommend any street/grafitti artsts traveling to HK to venture into the the New Territories, you will be well received.

I suppose ‘friendly’ is a great way to explain the atmosphere I encountered. For half of my trip I didn’t even pay for lodging. I met Jason who runs Hong Kong Wall(s). He’s a one man operation that gets artists legal walls in high profile areas throughout the city. We had spent sometime getting to know each other before he offered me his amazing two bedroom apartment in the Sheung Wan district to crash for a few nights while he stayed with his girlfriend nearby. The same hospitality can be said for Ross Dixon Turpin, co-owner of Star Crossed Tattoo in HK. I came across him while I was wheat pasting one night in his neighborhood. I ended up crashing at his place for the duration of my trip, and even got the chance to do a legal piece at his business. I’d like to give a special thanks to all the people and fellow artists I met over there who helped me out tremendously: Caratoes, MASA, Jason from HK Walls, Ross Dixon Turpin, Star Crossed Tattoo, OBSRV, ELLET, Anais and Perry, Barlo, 4GET and Kevlar Mihovich (Kevlar).

The entire trip was an amazing experience for me. The city itself is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Its ‘urban’ on a whole different level. Its streets are filled with people everywhere, exceeding that of any American city. Hong Kong’s Mong Kok, located in Yau Tsim Mong District, on the western part of Kowloon Peninsula is reported to contain the densest population on the planet. I have very limited experience in Asia, so this whole thing was an eye opening experience for me. The cultures, the dense populations, architecture, everything was so different from what I am used to. I suppose that’s the reason I went there, and why I will be visiting there again (in short time).

Meet D Young V

D Young V is a San Francisco based artist operating out of the Tenderloin. Much of his work revolves around the idea of a highly technological post – apocalyptic society. The world being portrayed is ever changing as the artist changes with every new experience.

See his art: D Young V
Read his interviews
Interview for 2014 show at 111 Minna: Diverging Styles
Interview in 2011: D Young V interview
Indoor art with D Young V: D Young V in the Lower Polk

An artist named Senator was very active for several years pasting up images of politicians, especially former presidents. Photographer Larry Jones found quite of few of his stickers and wheat paste around San Francisco between 2006 to 2010. Some of the art resembles postage stamps with their presidency number. A JFK is still pasted up on Townsend between 6th and 7th Street by the train tracks and freeway ramp.

I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.
– James Madison

James Madison was the 4th president of the US serving two terms. His nickname was Father of the Constitution due to his involvement in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The War of 1812 on Britain began and ended during his presidency. One battle come up to his doorstep destroying the White House and several capital buildings.His opponents called it Mr. Madison’s War

It is only when the people become ignorant and corrupt, when they degenerate into a populace, that they are incapable of exercising their sovereignty.
-James Monroe

James Monroe attended William and Mary College and dropped out to fight with the Continental Army in the American Revolution. He studied law under Thomas Jefferson and held many public offices before becoming the 5th US President. He was a Virginia House delegate,senator, minister to France, governor of Virginia and Secreatry of State and War. His presidency was dubbed “Era of Good Feeling”. The Monroe Doctrine passed during his second term. Thomas Jefferson once stated: “Monroe was so honest that if you turned his soul inside out there would not be a spot on it.”

The less government interferes with private pursuits, the better for general prosperity.
– Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren was a one term president, elected in 1836. While he was initial known as the ok president he was dubbed “Martin Van Ruin” by his second run for office. He was an attorney by profession who used political appointments and financial contributions to secure votes and was considered to be a founder of the modern day political machine.

All the measures of the Government are directed to the purpose of making the rich richer and the poor poorer.
– William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison was the 2nd oldest president and first to die in office after only 32 days. He died of pneumonia in 1841. His grandson Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President.

Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts of meanness.

Fillmore was the last Whig president, affiliated with neither the Democratic or Republican parties. He assumed presidency when Taylor died in office. He served only three years in office before unsuccessfully seeking nomination by the Whigs to run for president.

Don’t write so that you can be understood, write so that you can’t be misunderstood.
– William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft was a one term president from a politicallty well connected family with an Ivy League education. He was a hefty man at 6 feet who weighted 350 pounds during his presidency. Prior to being president he was appointed governor general to the Philippines where he improved their economy and infrastructure. While president he proposed a corporate income tax and promoted the economic development of Latin America with his dollar diplomacy. He crowning achievement was being appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court. His wife was responsible for planting the cherry trees in Washington DC that were a gift from the Japanese government.

Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.
– John F Kennedy

JFK was the second youngest and first Catholic president. In his inaugural speech he inspired Americans with one of the most memorable presidential quotes in modern times “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” He served less than three years with mixed results when his presidency ended abruptly with his assassination in Dallas. His greatest domestic achievements were creating the Peace Corp and the Alliance for Progress. The Cuban Missile Crisis happened during his watch.

We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.

Ronald Reagan served two terms. He was first an actor turned politician serving as governor of California for 8 years. That was a very contentious time in California with changing attitudes and the US involvement in the Vietnam War. He once said he did not leave the Democrat Party, it left him. He was the oldest person elected to president. During his presidency The Cold War was one of the more pressing foreign issues culminating with the end of the Berlin wall and a united Germany. We had the worst run away inflation when he assumed presidency.

On a different note Jerry Brown became the “moonbeam” governor, following Ronald Reagan’s tenure as governor.

Our forefathers fought for and to preserve democracy. The artist Senator honored them. November 4th is voting day.

About Larry Jones

Larry Jones has multiple photographic interests. See his street art photos and other subject matter. Follow him on Flicker
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West by Midwest Photography