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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 giant mural is the largest in Oakland. It's located on 19th street just a few blocks down…read morefrom Snow Park in downtown Oakland!! They did a great job showing the Oakland A's mascot Stomper carrying the Town on his back!! It's painted on the side of the PGE building, and it's so big, it's very hard to miss!! This mural has been here for a while, glad Yelp finally gave it its own listing!!

this mural can only be seen while driving up 19th St. it's on the 19th St. of the P, G & E…read more building. while it ovesees a parking lot, the cars don't detract form the view. Rise & Grind celebrates 50 years of the Oakland A's. some Oakland landmark minatures can be seen on the back of the A's mascot. "Holy Toleda" is posted at the left and "Oakland is Proud" is posted at the bottom. btw, i have never seen the A's mascot doing any heavy labor, just swinging a bat with his trunk. creator: illuminaries

I loved this mural, but finsing nearby parking was not easy. So thankfully the street was not busy…read moreso I did some drive bys. Qould have loved to be able to park nearby and take better pictures but oh well.

This might be the best Mural in Oakland, and that is saying something considering all the Murals in…read morethe Town. It's one of those Murals that the longer you look at it, the more you see. Big ups to the creators of this Masterpiece!!!

many murals adorn the walls of the Berkeley Swim Center. there's a free range of flowing artistic…read morefreedom of the many mural featured. -fish swimmingly nonchantedly to the nymph blowing an horn with a ? nearby. -a musician strumming while an oldster is fishing -a cosmic overview of the swimming pool -a rampant gush of winds causing high waves-not here though creator: Project Yes East Bay Conservation Corps Artist: Mariela de La Flor