Stream of Consciousness

Watch our 11 minute video describing how we did it!!!

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS

is a new public artwork produced by Think Round Inc., commissioned by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, created by Heidi Hardin working with Colette Crutcher, Margo Bors, and Nikki Lau—all teaching after-school and fifth-grade students at Willie L. Brown Jr. Academy with help from students and teachers at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School and Amador Valley High School all supported by a cadre of teen artists/interns from City College of San Francisco. Stream of Consciousness is a rich banner of animated visual images telling the story of water—from the depths of the sea to the constellations of the sky—through original visual images that were handmade in clay by children and youth and our artists. The children’s tiles are interspersed by a ribbon of specially selected quotes from historic and contemporary science and literature that were hand-stamped into clay by interns. The panels are now laid in one line, stretching 120 feet across the back of two public park benches at Hunters Point Shipyard that have become an integral element of outdoor seating for the newly constructed public park and a prominent design feature that affords both visitors and residents stunning views of the Bay Region! Water’s story was made over a period of six months in Think Round’s Intergenerational Afterschool Program presented at Willie L. Brown Academy in San Francisco. The artwork is composed of 24- handmade panels. Each panel is 1’ high by 5’ long and approximately 1” thick. Special seating element for the new Shipyard Hilltop Park…

PROJECT DESCRIPTION of STREAM from TRI’s 2009 RFP:

Local teens will explore the subject of water, as it relates to our Bay Area ecosystem and Hunters Point Shipyard (HPS) in particular, and our planet in general, with a focus on literacy through the languages of art and science. Guiding the students are Think Round Director, fine artist Heidi Hardin, local artist Colette Crutcher, with local Middle and High School teachers. 

Water themes link the diverse subjects of chemistry, history, ecology, astronomy, mythology, and evolution—integrating art, science, and literature.  This public art-making process allows youth to create clay tiles that illuminate a multi-layered story of water from the heavens to HPS. Alphabets, words, and sea-related text teach storytelling and entwine symbols of the sea through the language of visual arts, science, music, mathematics, and physics.

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The 24-mosaic panels are now installed with bench seating at Hunters Point Shipyard’s new Hillpoint Park at the end of Innes Avenue.

An initiative of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency…

Steam of Consciousness was commissioned by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, Hunters Point Shipyard Project, and is a part of the Cultural Historic Recognition Program known as CHRP, one of 11-community benefits programs.

The public artwork is one of nine artworks commissioned by the Agency for Hilltop Park following a national, open artist search and intensive local community outreach effort in 2009. Nine artists were selected by an art jury comprised of representatives from the community, professional arts leaders, the developer Lennar, and the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. Artists Jerry Ross Barrish, Marion Coleman, Jessica Bodner, Matthew Geller, Mildred Howard with Walter Hood, Eric Powell, Rebar Group, and Jason Webster in addition to Heidi Hardin comprise this first group of artists to create work for the new Shipyard. Many of the artists have personal or artistic roots in the Shipyard and some celebrate historic themes about the Shipyard or Bayview Hunters Point community.

HPS Public Art also conducts a model youth in public art program produced by California Lawyers for the Arts (C.L.A.) for the Agency. Youth have an opportunity to meet the nine artists and learn about their plans for the public art commissions while engaging in hands-on art activities and visiting artist studios and museums.

The HPS Public Art projects are supported by the Agency and funded by a grant from the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA).

For more information about Stream of Consciousness please email artist Heidi Hardin at info@thinkround.org.