The #TLTogether series highlights the incredible people who are part of the Tenderloin’s diverse community—neighbors, small business owners, nonprofit workers, creatives, and more.
This week, meet Crystal Vielula, a Queer artist and educator from San Francisco. Be on the lookout for her artwork around the neighborhood, as her designs will be part of the TLCBD’s Tenderloin Big Belly Neighborhood-Wide Expansion project, which includes seven designs by local artists, and the installation of 68 new Bigbelly trash receptacles, ensuring that every intersection in the Tenderloin has at least one trash can.
For the Bigbelly design project, Crystal looked to the Tenderloin’s rich heritage as a place for the Queer and Trans community:
I was inspired by the Tenderloin’s heritage as being a longtime haven for Queer and Trans people. There are so many people living in the TL that deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated and my work aims to do just that. The Tenderloin is also San Francisco’s first gay district. It was the site of one of the first incidents in the quest for gay and trans liberation, The Compton Cafeteria riots, and is now the first official Transgender District in the world!
I love the sense of community in the Tenderloin and the feeling of freedom people have to be themselves. I also love the small spaces that exist in the Tenderloin that enrich the Queer and Arts communities.
She adds:
“I hope that people will feel uplifted and seen when they come across my work in the neighborhood. There are so many people living in the TL that deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated and my work aims to do just that. I feel so grateful to be apart of this project and hope my work brings a little extra color and buoyancy into the neighborhood.”
In 2019, Crystal was selected as a MUNI artist and created 8 collages that traveled around the city by bus and train. She designed public art pieces for the Lower Polk Benefit District highlighting the queer history of the area. Vielula has been involved as a muralist with Clarion Alley Mural Project for over 10 years and her current LGBTQ Pride mural is one of the most photographed in the city.
Recently her work has been profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle and on KQED Arts, Broke Ass Stewart and The Fight Magazine. She had a reoccurring column on the Bold Italic featuring interviews and illustrated portraits of interesting people in San Francisco called Drawn from the City and she is the creator of 5 self-published coloring books. She works with a variety of mediums including but not limited to collage, painting, pen and ink, acrylic, textiles and is presently diving into the world of experimental film and performance.
You can follow Crystal on Instagram, and see more of her work online.
Artwork by Crystal Vielula
Crystal Vielula, Clarion Alley
Great reaading
Great reaading