Portfolio > Hidden and Not So Hidden Gems of Berkeley

The Kiss
Digital Print
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2011
The Kiss (in the Rain)
Digital Print
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2011
Elephant on Scenic
Digital Print
2010
Tiger on Scenic
Digital Print
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2011
Beast on Cedar at Scenic
Digital Print
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2011
Shark's Fin at Cedar and Scenic
Digital Print
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2011
Garage Door Circles, Scenic at Cedar
Digital Print
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2011
Bamboo, Donahue Garden
Digital Print
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2011
Sleeper, Donahue Garden
Digital Print
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2011
Venus Fly Trap, Donahue Garden
Digital Print
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2011
Lily, Donahue Garden
Digital Print
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2011
Sunbather, Donahue Garden
Digital Print
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2011
Kilroy Was Here
Digital Print
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2011
Zebra Garage on Ada
Digital Print
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2010
Zebra Car
Digital Print
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2011
Zebra Protest Ladies
Digital Print
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2011
Spruce Street Bear and Cubs
Digital Print
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2011
Spruce Street Bear
Digital Print
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2011
Sleeping Angel, Howling Dog
Digital Print
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2011
Angel's Book
Digital Print
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2011
Mermaid on Juanita
Digital Print
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2011
wild woman Dohr Berkeley hidden gems
Digital Print
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2011
Triceratops on Keith
Digital Print
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2011
Triceratops on Keith
Digital Print
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2011
Chaucer's Knight
Digital Print
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2011
Chaucer's Prioress
Digital Print
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2011
Chaucer's Merchant
Digital Print
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2011
Chaucer's Doctor
Digital Print
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2011
Chaucer's Wife of Bath
Digital Print
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2011
Mediaeval Harpist
Digital Print
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2011
Segal Garage, Santa Clara
Digital Print
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2011
Segal Hawk
Digital Print
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2011
Segal Woodpecker
Digital Print
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2011
Silhouetted Hummingbirds
Digital Print
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2011
Silhouetted Squirrels
Digital Print
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2011
Lawn Bowling Mosaics
Digital Print
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2011
Vase on Acton
Digital Print
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2011
Sleeping Face, Acton
Digital Print
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2011
Running Fairy
Digital Print
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2011
Sleepyhead
Digital Print
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2011
Snail
Digital Print
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2011
Buldan Seka Ceramic Characters
Digital Print
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2011
Buldan Seka Ceramic Figure and Plates
Digital Print
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2011
Young Woman
Digital Print
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2011
Pair of Bears
Digital Print
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2011
Pebble Art on Garage Door
Digital Print
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2011
Cat on Monterey
Digital Print
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2011
Gator on Monterey
Digital Print
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2011
Mosaic Cat off Ashby
Digital Print
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2011
Stone on Walnut
Digital Print
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2011
Dragon on Oxford
Digital Print
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2011
Eagle Totem
Digital Print
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2011
Fence on San Ramon (Fruit Tree)
Digital Print
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2011
Fence on San Ramon (Moonface)
Digital Print
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2011
Fence on San Ramon (Face)
Digital Print
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2011
Fence on San Ramon (Bird)
Digital Print
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2011
Obama Board on San Ramon Fence
Digital Print
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2011
Aquarium Door
Digital Print
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2011
Aquarium Garage Door
Digital Print
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2011
Horse on Fence, Summer Street
Digital Print
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2011
King on Fence, Summer Street
Digital Print
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2011
Ceramic Sun, Curtis
Digital Print
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2011
Ceramic Dreamers, Curtis
Digital Print
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2011
Lobster by Kit Skeoch
Digital Print
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2011
Ceramic Mask, Curtis
Digital Print
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2011
La Normandie, Spruce
Digital Print
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2011
La Normandie Cockerel, Spruce
Digital Print
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2011
Skeleton Saxophonist, Marin
Digital Print
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2011
Westward Arm, Marin & Monterey
Digital Print
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2011
Giraffe Family, Sonoma at Fresno
Digital Print
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2011
Blue Dog on Sonoma
Digital Print
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2011
Buffalo in the Grass
Digital Print
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2011
Colusa Collection
Digital Print
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2011
Colusa Sign
Digital Print
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2011
Armadillo on Colusa
Digital Print
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2011
Cigarette Lighter Bug
Digital Print
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2011
Colusa Doggie
Digital Print
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2011
Colusa Fisherman
Digital Print
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2011
Sunflower on Catalina
Digital Print
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2011
triskelion three legs Berkeley hidden gems
Digital Print
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2011
Cow
Digital Print
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2011
Tiled Bench on Walnut
Digital Print
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2011
Cow Skull on Michigan
Digital Print
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2011
Faceless Buddha on San Juan
Digital Print
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2011
Beseeching Man Berkeley Hidden Gems
Digital Print
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2011
Crocodile on Acton
Digital Print
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2011
Crab and Lobster on Arch
Digital Print
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2011
Dancing Cat on San Ramon
Digital Print
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2011
Blackstone Gate on Arch
Digital Print
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2011
Flowergirl on Stannage
Digital Print
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2011
Flowerpot on Stannage
Digital Print
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2011
Ceramic Couple on Stannage
Digital Print
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2011
Cat on Ventura
Digital Print
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2011
Bareback Rider on Arch
Digital Print
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2011
Bareback Rider on Arch
Digital Print
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2011
Raven on Fresno
Digital Print
2010
Cat silhouette Cragmont Berkeley Hidden Gems
Digital Print
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2011
Carved Head on Oxford
Digital Print
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2011
rock fountain Berkeley hidden gems
Digital Print
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2011
Birdhouse Truck
Digital Print
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2011
Bird House Truck (2)
Digital Print
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2011
Puppy art Berkeley hidden gems
Digital Print
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2011
Daschund on Harper
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2011
Daschund on Harper
Digital Print
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2011
Daschund on Harper
Digital Print
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2011
Scuba Diving Cat
Digital Print
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2011
Acrobat on San Juan (2)
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2011
Acrobat on San Ramon
Digital Print
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2011
Ceramic Dog on San Ramon
Digital Print
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2010
girl carrying bats Berkeley Gems San Ramon
Digital Print
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2011
Shrine on Arch (Dragon)
Digital Print
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2011
Werewolf on Hawthorne
Digital Print
2010
Red Mobius Strip
Digital Print
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2011
Ceramic Moose
Digital Print
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2011
dragon ward mabel Berkeley hidden gems
Digital Print
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2011
Cactus Fish
Digital Print
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2011
Peace Sign
Digital Print
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2011
UN flag Berkeley hidden gems
Digital Print
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2011

Public Art in Private Settings, Berkeley, CA

I love Berkeley. I love its history of protests, its political orientation (albeit occasionally whacky), the fact that it is ground zero for the natural/organic food movement (didn’t it all begin with Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse?), and its vibrant intellectual life stemming from the University of California. On top of all that, it is home to many artists and lovers of art and craft. And, fortunately for the general citizen, a good number of these people have made the objects of their affection available to view by placing them in their front yards. In this photo journalism project, I have sought to document as many examples of these "hidden gems" as I could find, many in the less trodden byways of the city. They constitute what I dub “private public art”—to distinguish it from the municipal or corporate “public art” that can be seen on downtown streets here and elsewhere or in the forecourts of company offices, as well as to differentiate from the private art within the walls of the home.

Such public private art is personal, reflecting the tastes of the individual resident, and it can also be considered environmental art from a number of perspectives: first, its location in a specific yard or on the wall of a particular house or fence makes it very much part of its surroundings. Second, by default, it has to take account of its outdoor setting—you do not hang an oil painting from your trees. Therefore, it is generally of an enduring material, such as stone, ceramic, or metal. However, even such materials are affected over time by the elements and need to be considered as they are now, "flaws" and all. And, thirdly, many of the examples in Berkeley (and I venture in other cities that feature this art) are made from recycled materials and found objects, thus contributing to good environmental practices in a wider sense, a very Berkeleyan perspective.

The pieces captured here range from the stunning to the whimsical, occasionally both. I have tried to avoid kitsch—no garden gnomes, thank you, although a set of pink flamingos were tempting—but I will readily admit that kitsch, like its more favored sibling, beauty, is very much in the eye of the beholder. Another principle that I have sought to follow is that the piece must be viewable from the street, so that is genuinely “public,” unless I am invited by the owner to step within the property bounds for the purpose of photographing it. I strongly urge anyone who searches for these pieces in their settings to follow the same principle—no trespassing. For the most part, also, I do not provide exact addresses for the objects, although for many I give pretty good directions. There are two reasons for this: I am not preparing a tour guide and I do not wish to encourage hordes of people to descend on people’s houses/yards for the purpose of gawking at their art, even if such an outcome is unlikely—I would be very fortunate if this site were to become so popular that “hordes” were in prospect of descending anywhere! There are exceptions: in one or two cases I have been lucky enough to be invited beyond the street by the owner or artist whose work is featured. There are also a few for which I have lost or forgotten the exact location—if you are aware of it, let me know and I will update accordingly.

But, in addition, the larger purpose is to encourage you to get out and explore for yourself—to open your eyes. There is much beauty around us that we miss. Some of these works are small or may be so blended into their backgrounds, either through nature exercising its force or through artful placement, that you could walk by them a dozen times and not notice. However, if it should happen that there is a piece you cannot live without seeing in its place, yet you absolutely cannot find it, email me and I will do my best to relieve your misery by providing the coordinates. And, to non-Berkeley residents, you just got another reason to visit!