Giving Life to the Community
Artists
The Precita Eyes Mural Center:
The Precita Eyes Muralists Association, Inc., a community mural arts center established in 1977, is credited with some of the finest public murals in the country. Susan Kelk Cervantes, founding director of Precita Eyes, maintains a commitment to community and collaboration that guarantees the creative works produced are accessible, both physically and conceptually, to the people whose lives they impact. She is responsible for more than 100 murals, most of which are in San Francisco's Mission District and include the monumental murals at Cesar Chavez Elementary School, Leonard R. Flynn Elementary School, Mission Playground Swimming Pool, San Francisco Women's Building and Garfield Park Pool.
Both sides of the design, "Corazon de la Mission" compliment each other and are integrated as you move from one side to the other. In the center of the front side are a man and a woman surrounded by the flames of passion representing the indigenous people of San Francisco's Mission District. Their faces are overlapping, creating one face symbolizing their love of each other and their community. In the center of the reverse side is the internal flame of our spirit. The shape of the heart takes the form of our hands warmed by the flame and symbolizing the potential care and love for all people. Both sides of the heart compliment each other and are integrated as you move from one side to the other.
The design process was a collaborative one that is typical of many Precita Eyes mural projects. The same process was applied to the Hearts In San Francisco project. Precita Eyes Muralists, who had the time to participate, came to a design workshop directed by Ms. Cervantes. Each artist submitted a design they felt related to the theme of the Hearts project. Five individual ideas were discussed and a composite was created that included each of the artists who participated. Contributing artists included Patricia Rose, Henry Sultan, Laura Joya, Leanna Blankenship, and Susan Cervantes. The artists are thankful for this opportunity to share their vision.
For more information, visit www.precitaeyes.org
