the Heal Oakland mural is nearby the back entrance of Dollar Tree. there's a common parking lot…read more the mural shows clenched fists at the upper left and a 2 handed open palm on the upper right. the center shows a ribbon with the words "Heal Oakland" at the top. in the middle is a detached heart with sun burst energy emanating from it. lite candles surround the heart at both sides and the bottom. the heart is being stitched together by an human hand on the left side and a skeletal hand on the right. entire background in black. mural is a reflection on the George Floyd protests. creator: People's Conservatory, Be-Imaginative Collective

This is a lovely sculpture located at the Center Walk across from Frank Ogawa Plaza. It's labeled…read more"fountain" on the Oakland City Center map/directory. The piece was inspired by Gertrude Stein's quote "There is no there there", referring to her childhood home, despite her words being interpreted in different ways. The artist, Roslyn Mazzilli, spent decades creating sculptures that reflect aspects of nature and add vibrant color to the various settings in which her public artworks are displayed. "There!" is seemingly ageless and certainly an attractive centerpiece among the surrounding shops and eateries at the City Center, and a prime representation of Mazzilli's work.

This colorful sculpture is in the middle of the city center plaza right outside the 12th street…read moreBart station. I'd been here many times before and even sat around the fountain but never paid attention to the name of the sculpture nor it's creator until my last visit. Thanks to yelp, I learned something new once again. Now I know that this sculpture is knows as There!, created by sculptor Roselyn Mazzilli. Upon closer look, I saw the nameplate for the first time including the date of installation which is 1988. The entire plaza is a nice place to hang around with lots of restaurants providing outside seating around the sculpture and the fountain. Due to severe drought in California, the fountain is currently off but the sculpture is still a beauty to behold.

Have a Heart mural is at the 7th St. side. Hear a Heart is a cannabis dispensary…read more the theme of the mural highlights events/symbols seen in Oakland: sideshows, A's baseball, Oaklandish symbol, Hello Kitty, spray painting, vaping, bart, bitcoin, green apple, blue skies, red skies, etc. creator: Charms Von

These types of murals in general prevent a lot of graffiti. Some building these owners turn over…read moretheir exterior walls to artists at a specific cost. I recently spoke to one of these artists. There is some pay involved and there is an understanding that the art work generally doesn't last forever. Its a unique relationship between artist and tenant or building owner. I think the bad part of it is the ulterior motive - its not as if people have these murals for pure love of art - rather its to avoid something bad. I suppose building owners are 'in like' with these sorts of projects. I guess I see it as putting a missing person's face on the side of a milk carton.

This named mural on the side of a fence & across a building was created by an individual & his…read morestudent associates. Against a background of geometric shapes in pastel colours are 6 black individuals & a group of black persons in black leather jackets. The faces aren't known to me save Esther Mabry, 2d from the left, owner of Esther's Orbit Room on 7th st., a well known jazz night club. At the far right are members of the Black Panther Party, a Black power political organization started in West Oakland, 1966. Other figures may also be from Oakland, Ca. Creator: Dave Young Kim with Neighborhood Kids: Steph, Zach, Dena.

The free Friday nights are such a vibe with live music and the DJ was TOO GOOD for the crowd…read more Food trucks outside were the most diverse options including Swahili, Nepal, South African also ice cream!

This museum is so underrated!…read more There are plenty of exhibits to explore, along with interactive areas that make learning fun for kids. It's a great place to spend a day with the family, whether you're looking to learn something new, relax, or simply enjoy a beautiful day in Oakland. I especially appreciate that this museum participates in the Museums for All program, which helps make cultural and educational experiences more accessible to families. We had a wonderful visit and I'll definitely be coming back more often. If you're looking for a family-friendly activity that's both fun and educational, this museum is worth checking out.

About three weeks ago I received an invite on Facebook to attend the opening event of a photo…read moreexhibit by Philip Hennen at the Joyce Gordon Gallery. I have never met Mr. Hennen, but I was always impressed with his photos titled Mood City posted on that website in one of the groups I belong to. His main focus were the urban areas of Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco, which brought back memories of growing up in the area. I love his work, especially the ones of Oakland Chinatown and West Oakland. The Joyce Gordon Gallery is a well lit gallery in the downtown area of Oakland. The ambiance is a comfortable one without being pretentious. What an amazing gallery to have works of the African American artists on display. Indeed this gallery and Sanchez Contemporary (Uptown) are welcome sites to the City of Oakland. I usually don't head back to Oakland in the evening, but Mood City beckoned my husband and me to attend this event and to show support to a Facebook friend. The presentation of the photos was beautiful. I finally met Mr. Hennen through another Facebook friend, Vanessa Williams, who was also at the event. Much appreciation to this gentleman who was very pleasant and engaging in conversation with everybody attending this event. The minor drawback to this gallery is trying to find street parking in the area. Public transportation (AC or BART) is easier than driving around the block or blocks in search of a parking space. Then there is also a parking garage close by. When in the area, stop by this gallery and admire the works on display of local artists.

This is a cool space that is conveniently located near downtown Oakland (transit hub). The main…read morespace itself is wheelchair accessible, but as for the single gender-neutral bathroom, I'm not so sure it'd be easy to get in there due to the angles and width of the doors, especially if your mobility equipment is wider than a typical doorframe. They have some nice artworks of black and African or African diaspora people on display right now. I came to the gallery as a part of an evening event in BlackSolidarityWeek and I appreciate that they allow this space to be used for such events and talks. It seems there's a lower level that requires stairs to access, did not get to see what was in there at the time.

This wolf sculpture gets a lot of attention, but really it goes hand-in-hand with Jack London's…read moreCabin just steps away (see my separate review for that). The wolf and cabin together create an engaging scene for visitors to appreciate, commemorating the great author and some of his most famous literary works, ie. Call of the Wild and White Fang. The art and history displayed here is beautiful, especially with its waterfront setting. There's plenty of seating in the area for public use, as well as a lovely fountain flowing with water. There wasn't much foot traffic on a Saturday evening, and hardly anyone on site except for those dining at Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon situated adjacent to the cabin, so it was easy to pay a visit with minimal distractions.

5 stars for the Wolf in Jack London Square!!…read more The Wolf is right by Jack London's cabin, which is super small. Kids love to ride the Wolf, it's very sturdy and able to handle all the attention it gets. Although there is a small plaque there, I do wish there was more on the spot history here about Jack London, because with all the people that come here, it wouldn't hurt for them to know more about Jack London, the man, and his accomplishments. In short, he was a novelist, his famous books were 'Call of the Wild' and 'White Fang' which is where the Wolf comes from, amongst other things. Check out the Wolf next time you're in Jack London Square!!

This is a love story, really. On man's work to put what he can on the scale, to in a modest and…read moresimple and gentle way tip the balance in a better direction. This is a tale of affirmation. Of how even at the dark hours when for a moment it feels as if the sun will never come up it does. The gnomes stand where you're looking only if you're looking down. Standing waiting to greet you when the load gets heavy. Standing patiently. Rumor has it there are over 2,000 gnomes attached to over 2,000 utility poles around the City. The subject here is next to the tennis courts across the street from Portal on Second a little bit east of its intersection with Foothill. Thanks to the electric company for resisting the temptation to take them to jail. To me, this is the stuff of life.

They came out of the blue! What do they want?…read more Can we appease them? There's no hiding from them! The gnomes are a spontaneous artistic splurge that got its start around 2012 when gnome after gnome started popping up around Lake Merrit & Lakeview areas on... PG&E utility poles. That's right, the gnomes felt it was crucial to have solid back support and chose some of the tallest structures around. They came in all shapes & sizes and became beloved almost instantly. So much so, that when PG&E labeled them a hazard (big word for such tiny things) the locals rallied behind them and made the utility provider back off. The New York Times headline for this development? "California: A Win for the Little People". Damn, right. It's 2019, and gnomes are still holding on (to poles that is), and you might even see some non-original variations, like squirrel gnomes here & there. KQED did a nice little piece about the Oakland gnomes, and I highly recommend you give it a read/listen: https://www.kqed.org/news/11655269/how-oakland-became-a-gnome-mans-land

this mural is on the Bay St. side. it shows a young Korean female dressed in an Hanbok, a…read moretraditional garment worn in ancient Korea until the late Josean period. the mural has a dark background, the female is in the center, over her shoulders are words written in traditional Korean characters. pink flowers are all over the mural. creator: John 0329, Noodle_belly