Make Things New
2023 Mural Series, by Lorraine García-Nakata©, RCAF
Partial view from North looking South, second floor mezzanine, ©2023
About the “Make Things New” mural series:
“I have an unwavering commitment to creating work in search of truths. I find them in ordinary moments illuminated by history, family, our own internal terrain, and the often-unseen spiritual world.”
This mural commission is a key legacy project, for García-Nakata, one that reflects her work as a Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF) artist, her consequential contributions in the arts and cultural arena, as a Mission District and Galería de la Raza Elder, and as a cultural bearer with deep connection to evolving communities of San Francisco, the Bay Area, and our national and international communities.
Located within a designated Indigenous cultural corridor, the 4,000 square foot mural series resides at Casa Adelante- 2828 16th Street, in San Francisco. Set within the Casa Adelante building complex, “Make Things New” is the overarching theme of all eight mural paintings by commissioned artist Lorraine García-Nakata. Lorraine shares that the murals are a gift to all those who live and work on site and affirms ideas as claiming joy, Indigenous precious wisdom, bond between parent and child, transformation, youth offerings, and male contemplation.
“Vanguard Chicana artist Lorraine García-Nakata knows that her communities are beautiful. To represent the lives of ordinary people–especially women and children, García-Nakata chooses ethereal lines and colors in her painting techniques, assuring viewers that beauty is also politically powerful. Spanning four decades of artistic practice and creation, her paintings, prints, and legendary murals reveal the complexities of identity, the intimacy of memory, and the art of bearing witness to one’s life." –– Dr. Ella Maria Diaz, author of Flying Under the Radar with the Royal Chicano Air Force: Mapping a Chicano/a Art History (UTP 2017)
Mural Series Photos 2023©: Here is a selection of photo representations of all eight mural sections. Included are a few that capture how the night lighting shifts and softens the mural color tone.
Completed in October 2023, Lorraine created original drawings for this commission which she then reproduced by hand-rendering in paint and on a significantly larger scale than the original drawings (two to three stories in height). The main murals are actual paintings, rendered, painted, hand-blended in real time. García-Nakata shares, “In creating this overall work, I experienced the serenity and freedom that old-school hand-rendered, real time paint-blended mural painting affords. It is a skill derived from decades of developing your own visual vocabulary, understanding of color interaction, image interpretation, and brush tempo and texture patterns––much like your own individual memory, clarity of sight, language vocabulary, and handwriting. My onsite painting also incorporated the life energy that came from daily interaction with the many adult and youth residents, building personnel, all of which resulted in large scale paintings that establish their own sense of place. Seeing the residents daily, hearing their excited comment, having very small children daily shout “hi” and wave as they pass, or come over to where I was painting to examine my paint brush, well, that was joyful for me.”
“Knowing the work of Lorraine García-Nakata for decades now, her powerful images are always exquisitely rendered, whether in charcoal, pastels, or acrylics. Her new mural series called Make Things New are beautiful hand-painted monumental figures that sparkle, inspire, and rejoice in the celebration of cultural pride. With the lush use of color and brushwork, these works invite the viewer to absorb not only the joy and beauty of her subjects but also the rich and technical virtuosity that shines so reverently throughout the murals. Her design concept for the space, her bold use of the color turquoise on walls and ceiling, centers the murals into the building's Indigenous identity and envelopes the viewer in an expansive and soothing embrace.” – muralist Daniel Galvez, 2024
Photos of several residents and building personnel with whom I regularly interacted. Through this interaction they came to know that these murals were for them, so they laid “claim” to all of them early. They also let me know which were their personal favorites. Two of murals included handprints by several adult residents and youth old enough to go through the hand-printing process. These youth participants, their parents, and other resident adults delighted in the thought that they would see their hand print daily and that their print would remain indefinitely.
García-Nakata designed imagery specifically for the residents and with acknowledgement of Indigenous wisdom, both of which reconcile with her own long-held artistic and cultural context. “As a muralist, my intention was to create an overall place of rest and relaxation for the residents who daily venture through this open space. Make Things New is an affirmation for all those who experience them daily.” – Lorraine García-Nakata
Early Planning and Design Process which I will summarize: It began by visiting the first floor and mezzanine levels to study the walls, panels, ceiling mural areas (their dimension, the panels upon which the murals would be painted, the way light spilled in and shifted from morning to night, etc.). Also, noted how residents daily navigated the areas, what equipment would be needed and how it would be loaded in and out. I was also interested in creating a color pallet relationship to the architect’s overall building color pallet. Below you will see the architect’s tile samples and the various colors I would mix that danced well with the architect’s color pallet. Once on site, it became clear that the background color of the murals would have to be a lighter and brighter blue since (due to the ceiling) the areas were in shadowed. Also incorporated was the element of texture (in brush stroke and other visual texture) and included use of hand prints for two of the murals and also where I signed each of the completed paintings.
Regarding mural imagery: I created imagery specifically for the residents, including acknowledgement of Indigenous wisdom, both of which reconcile with my own long-held artistic work. By extension, I incorporated references as power of envisioning, beauty, contemplation, joy, youth presence, “precious knowledge,” and parent-child bonding-all of which could create a space, their space designed to lift their spirit and also provide a place to rest, breathe, consider things. Once initial images were completed, a session with community youth was organized in order to hear their input. I enjoyed that session so much and incorporated text suggestions they had made.
Pre-onsite production photos of the site before the mural work had begun site, color pallet references, and early images and wall placement blue prints I created. Also shown are various sized stencils I created of the ceiling butterflies making that rendering consistent and significantly simplifying the painting process, ©2023
Murals In-Progress, ©2023: While the mural planning began in 2021, the on-site production work was initiated in mid-July 2023 and continued for four months ending in early October. Before the actual mural rendering could begin, equipment, scaffolding, and materials had to be loaded in and erected. This was followed by priming nearly 4,000 square feet of mural surfaces (walls, ceiling, under walkway area, and front three story panels). I then decided on the overall mural area background color, mixing nearly twenty color tests before arriving at a color that would read well in all areas (in full sun and shadowed areas) and that would also have a relationship to the architect’s building color pallet. It is important to note that I only use professional Nova Paint as this paint was specifically designed to take extreme heat that can shift to very cold, wet weather patterns without fading or bubbling. The paint viscosity and deep pigment colors are unmatched for exterior mural painting. I would not use any other paint for murals.
Make Things New mural series Unveiling
PressRelease:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 23, 2024, | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Public Mural Series Unveiling-MAKE THINGS NEW– by Artist Lorraine García-Nakata
San Francisco, CA – Casa Adelante-at 2828 16th Street, is excited to host and announce the unveiling of a new San Francisco public mural commission entitled, Make Things New by renowned Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF) visual artist Lorraine García-Nakata. The unveiling will occur on October 23, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at Casa Adelante, 2828 16th Street, San Francisco, CA.
“Tenderloin Development Corporation is thrilled to unveil these evocative murals by Lorraine García-Nakata that beautifully capture the spirit of the neighborhood. The Mission District has always been a home for mural art; art that makes a place feel like home! This work is a testament to the rich culture of the neighborhood and we are proud to share it with the City.” –– Katie Lamont, Interim Co-Chief Executive Officer/Chief Operating Officer, TNDC
About the Mural Site
The Casa Adelante site was co-developed by Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) and Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC) and is home to 143 affordable housing units that help ensure families can live and thrive in San Francisco’s Mission District. Along with resident communal spaces, the ground floor is also home to key nonprofit organizations, including Galería de la Raza's Studio16 and Homey, whose work transforms the lives of high-risk youth..
About the Mural Series
Located within a designated Indigenous cultural corridor, this 4,000 square foot mural series was designed specifically for its residents and also acknowledges Indigenous wisdom. García-Nakata states, “As a muralist, my intention was to create an overall place of rest, dignity, and ‘medicine’ for all those who daily walk through this open space. The Make Things New mural series affirm the necessity and power of envisioning in areas such as claiming joy, bond between parent and child, Indigenous precious wisdom, transformation, youth presence, and male contemplation.
“Vanguard Chicana artist Lorraine García-Nakata knows that her communities are beautiful. To represent the lives of ordinary people--especially women and children, García-Nakata chooses ethereal lines and colors in her painting techniques, assuring viewers that beauty is also politically powerful. Spanning four decades of artistic practice and creation, her paintings, prints, and legendary murals reveal the complexities of identity, the intimacy of memory, and the art of bearing witness to one’s life." –– Dr. Ella Maria Diaz, 2024, author of Flying Under the Radar with the Royal Chicano Air Force: Mapping a Chicano/a Art History (UTP 2017)
Completed in October 2023, Lorraine created original drawings for this commission which she then recreated, yet on a significantly larger scale (two to three stories in height). The main murals are actual ‘paintings’ that were hand blended in real time. García-Nakata shares, “In creating this overall work, I experienced the serenity and freedom that old-school hand-rendered, real-time paint-blended mural painting affords. It is a skill derived from decades of developing one’s own visual vocabulary, understanding of color interaction, image interpretation, and brush tempo and texture patterns––much like the development of your own individual memory, clarity of sight, language vocabulary, and handwriting. My onsite painting also incorporated the life energy that came from daily interaction with the many adult and youth residents, building personnel, all of which resulted in large scale paintings that establish their own sense of place. Seeing the residents daily, hearing their excited comments, having very small children wave daily, or come over to where I was painting to examine my paint brush, well, that was joyful for me.”
“Knowing the work of Lorraine García-Nakata for decades now, her powerful images are always exquisitely rendered, whether in charcoal, pastels, or acrylics. Her new mural series called Make Things New are beautiful hand-painted monumental figures that sparkle, inspire, and rejoice in the celebration of cultural pride. With the lush use of color and brushwork, these works invite the viewer to absorb not only the joy and beauty of her subjects but also the rich and technical virtuosity that shines so reverently throughout the murals. Her design concept for the space, her bold use of the color turquoise on walls and ceiling, centers the murals into the building's Indigenous identity and envelopes the viewer in an expansive and soothing embrace.”– Artist, Muralist, Daniel Galvez
This mural commission is a key legacy project, for García-Nakata, one that reflects her work as a Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF) artist, her consequential contributions in the arts and cultural arena, as a Mission District and Galería de la Raza Elder, and as a cultural bearer with deep connection to evolving communities of San Francisco, the Bay Area, and our national and international communities.
About the Artist Lorraine García-Nakata is a founding member of the Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF artist collective). Ms. Garcia-Nakata has exhibited on local, regional, national, and international levels and is highly recognized as an artist, cultural specialist, community activist, and cultural bearer. Her creative work navigates between disciplines including visual art, music, and writing. Adept in a range of visual arts mediums, she is noted for her large-scale drawings and paintings as well as her command in mixed media, printmaking, installation work, ceramics, sculpture, and photography. In 2003, the California Arts Council awarded Lorraine a Visual Arts Fellowship. 2008, she was a mayoral appointee as Arts Commissioner to the San Francisco Arts Commission, 2009, appointed by US Congress as Commissioner exploring creation of a National Museum of the American Latino, since 2012, is a founding member of the San Francisco Latino Historical Society, 2023, invited to Artist Advisory Council with the Art Space Land Trust. 2015, Stanford University Library Special Collections acquired the “Lorraine García-Nakata Papers,” and in the same year, her book “Chola Enterprises” was published by Copilot Press. 2018, her book “Children’s Stories for Adults,” was published by BRC Publishing. Lorraine has been recognized in multiple scholarly publications, by the U.S. Congress, California State Legislature, included in Women of Conscience, publication by Victoria Alvarado, and in the seminal publication Flying Under the Radar with the Royal Chicano Air Force, by Dr. Ella Maria Díaz, to name a few. Lorraine continues to live and work in San Francisco.
For more information, please contact Christina Tetreault at marketing@medasf.org or ctetreault@medasf.org.
Mural Commission Project Partners
Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)
Rooted in San Francisco’s Mission District, MEDA is advancing a national equity movement by building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power.
Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC)
TNDC provides affordable housing and services for over 4,100 low-income residents in six San Francisco neighborhoods, building community and promoting equitable access to opportunity and resources.
Galería de la Raza
Galería de la Raza is a non-profit promoting Xicanx/Latinx art and culture and dedicated to social inclusion and justice through community arts.
This public art commission was made possible through a partnership between the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA), Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC), San Francisco Arts Commission, and Galería de la Raza. Special appreciation to: Mallun Breedlove, Rye Purvis, Jeffrey Lazos-Ferns, my son Kanichi García Nakata, and all the heros on the ground who supported the completion of this project. You know who you are.
Pre-Mural Unveiling Event Photos: (Thank you to photographers Lenore Chinn, Kanichi García Nakata, Scott Heckes, Mission Economic Development Corporation, and others for sharing these photos).
Mural Unveiling Event Photos:
Murals Unveiling Post Event Reception Photos:
“Make Things New”
Mural Series
Artist, Lorraine García-Nakata © 2023
“Make Things New” is the overarching theme of all eight Casa Adelante mural paintings. It is a gift to all those who live and work on site and affirms ideas as claiming joy, Indigenous precious wisdom, bond between parent and child, making time to envision, transformation, youth offerings, and male contemplation.
“In creating this work, I experienced the serenity and freedom hand-rendered painting allows, the life energy derived from daily interaction with many residents and staff, as well as the sense of place and calm that the completed paintings were designed to create. They are for you.
Special appreciation to:
Rye Purvis, Jeffrey Lazos-Ferns, Kanichi García Nakata, Mallun Breedlove, and the many, many workers & heroes who supported the completion of this project. I know and you know who you are.” ––Lorraine García-Nakata
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This public art commission was made possible by the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA), Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC), San Francisco Arts Commission, and Galería de la Raza.