A RESPONSE TO THE ARTISTS COMMUNITY IN SAN FRANCISCO

Artists are the soul of any culture and more any community small or big that cares about the human spirit that knows no bounds when given the opportunity to express without bounds and boundaries.

For decades anyone worth their salt and fine tuned to the best expression in dance, music, art, writing, sculpture - anything that offered the best from the innermost being - to reveal the best to those that can see, hear, feel, and appreciate came from numerous artists that made their living in San Francisco, California.

For decades those that had money sponsored artists and some artists defied the norms and many in power supported the artists because they saw in the human spirit of defiance an ambiance that would come to restore the norm and bring sensibilities to those that love to curtail freedom of expression.

San Francisco has led the way and for years with the best critical support. Then suddenly in the late 1990s we saw thousands of artists targeted and told to vacate. Thousands of good souls with no support fell prey to the fleeting Dot.Com but more to lack of local support and before we knew it a whole en mass of noble artisans, artists, writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, welders, dancers were gone.

Today there has been a slow movement to bring back the past but those of us that knew those that are no more - know that it takes centuries to bring the best and create an era that many feel and think was a time that we should best relegate to a fond memory and treasure the moments that we were a movement that made an universal impact.

There was a time when some artists had no place to go and when I had the ability to accommodate - we did it our way at the Presidio of San Francisco. We shall not go into details because those moments can best be remembered without too much exposure and getting into real estate details that do not serve the purpose of free and unfettered creation. It is great to see some bring art and artists to City Hall in San Francisco. It would be great if those that can encourage and spread the love of the spirit as it was for so many decades and take it to the highest level. It is time we have world renowned sculptors, musicians, painters, writers and all that uplifts the best in our modern very evolving culture of sorts and diversity in San Francisco.

From time to time I will meet the best of the best and in our talks we tend to float to those times when it was the best because it was taken for granted that artists had to enjoy sanctity of their own making where dirty politics and greed had no business going to or interfering. When those that encouraged art and creativity respected freedom and knew that license did more harm then good.

Artists are the soul of any civilization and culture worth mentioning. Here is San Francisco we have the diversity and the talent from all over the world. Now we need the leadership both within the Artists Community and those that have money to play and create with to put the better minds together to make the best of everything.

It is great to soar
Like the Eagle
And know
That those few
From the innermost
Can reveal the best
And make life in this City
A better place
To live and share
A love of a kind
that elevates the human spirit
brings harmony to all
San Francisco artists lead the way
That is the Ohlone way
From Day One we all were Blessed

Francisco Da Costa       February 5, 2006




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