Ariel Lou, an artist, paints in the Mission BART Plaza, capturing the stillness in a lively environment. Inspired by a call for Mission-themed artwork, she immerses herself in the community, noting an improved atmosphere compared to her past experiences. Previous years she associated with trash cleanups, highlighting a stark contrast to the plaza's current state, which she finds safer and more welcoming. Lou's paintings embody her engagement with the local culture, eliciting positive responses from passersby, illustrating her connection to the community's evolution.
"People stay still enough for me to paintâ that's a really big thing. I feel like I could probably paint here every day for the next several months and not run out of ideas."
"I thought, if I want to paint about the Mission, I should be out hereâon the streetâactually engaging with it."
"I would have been like, oh, hell no...I used to go to the Manny's trash cleanup, ten people out here, and we would fill dozens of bags of trash just from the plaza."
"Now, itâs cleaner and safer. And my presence is appreciated. People have come up to me and thanked me for sitting out there and painting."
Collection
[
|
...
]