For this week’s #TLTogether meet Ink Dwell Studio founder and artist, Jane Kim. You may have been walking through the Tenderloin, looked up and seen her Monarch butterflies dramatically painted along the side of a 12-story building at 455 Hyde Street—or at eye-level, with her designs on many of the TLCBD Bigbelly trash cans. In both big and small formats, her art is a reminder to look for the natural beauty that exists, even in urban environments.
“I hope my art will bring joy and beauty to the neighborhood and serve as a reminder that we share this world—one that’s filled with so much incredible life. But more importantly, I hope it helps us remember that this beauty, as depicted in the art, is around us at all times. If only we remember to look for it.”
Ink Dwell’s Bigbelly designs, part of the TLCBD’s Bigbelly Project were inspired by the large mural at Hyde Street and tells a story about the 34 species of butterflies found in San Francisco. It’s also part of a larger nation-wide campaign called the Migrating Mural, a network of public artworks that spotlight the Monarch butterfly along its North American migration routes.
Adding to the Tenderloin’s landscape is particularly special to Kim because it was the first place she lived when she moved to San Francisco seventeen years ago. “The Tenderloin was the first place that I called home. I lived there for about four years. I would describe the Tenderloin as a neighborhood of delightful surprises. I’m glad to have my artwork here, and as an extension of this amazing treasure hunt.”
Looking back, two of her favorite Tenderloin go-to spots were Ryoko’s (619 Taylor Street), “it’s this underground sushi restaurant that felt like a wonderful little secret” and Owl Tree (601 Post Street) which “at the time, was decorated with owls everywhere and I always loved going there for a drink.”
Read more about Jane Kim and her projects via her website. Also, be on the lookout for her mural and Bigbelly designs throughout the neighborhood.
2020 BigBelly Designs by Jane Kim, Ink Dwell Studios
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