The Dore Street-facing wall of wine bar Tank 18 (1345 Howard St.) in SoMa is newly festooned with a bright mural consisting of doodles and messages that invites viewers to step back and focus on the big picture.
“The theme of the mural is interconnectedness of all things: life, existence, space, and time,” artist Elliott C Nathan told us.
The hustle and bustle of everyday life distracts people from appreciating the meaningful relationships and creativity that interactions can inspire, he said.
Nathan said Tank 18 approached him to paint a mural on the wall, which spans 160 feet long and 25 feet tall.
“I love painting bright, colorful things and let it come out in a natural flow rather than a planned out design,” he said.
“In this piece, I tried to incorporate representations of all the things of life, and positive messages that I often doodle as notes to myself,” Nathan added.
To reach the whole wall, Nathan had to rent a scissor lift and spent about a week and a half of working nearly non-stop to complete the painting.
He didn't have any assistance, but “the staff of Tank 18 were kind enough to walk with me as I drove the scissor lift down Folsom Street from the rental place in rush-hour traffic,” he said.
Nathan’s next big project is designing and building Juanita More’s stage for the Love Boat Halloween event at Pier 70. You can see more of his work at elliottcnathan.com.
