You may have come across some of Todd Berman’s famous Bernal art pieces in the past. He is well-known for his painting of the Bernal Hill. Todd has been a Bernal resident for the past 8 years and has created many art pieces that show the diversity and feeling of the community. Todd goes beyond just creating art, he tries to bring out the emotions he feels in the moment and encourages others to do the same.
Some of his past work includes creating live artwork for events and of musicians. One of his art series became famous through the SF Muni’s art project for everyone to see on the buses. It contained a collage of other people’s self-portraits that they drew for him at events, cafes and schools.
Now, he teaches art to youth in public schools through the Where Art Lives program and has been an educator for a long time. As a strong advocate for art, he wants every child in San Francisco to have the opportunity to have access to art programs.
Todd will be teaching a three-part art workshop to our homebound seniors over Zoom. He wanted to help the seniors relieve their stress, be more engaged listeners and observers, and for them to learn how to express their emotions and point of view. He hopes to bring more people together through art for their well-being and help them access their creativity.”
Q&A
You normally taught youth in the past. What inspired you to teach art to seniors at BHNC?
I saw a call for volunteers in a BHNC email, and saw an opportunity to contribute to my neighborhood.
Tell us about your favorite artwork that you created. What is the meaning behind it?
One painting that I’m proud of (I can’t choose a favorite!) is “Bernal Heart Drone.” I really don’t know what it means, but it feels right.
What do you think makes Bernal unique and how do you capture that in your artwork?
I love Bernal for it’s undeniable physical beauty and for the way that neighbors seem to really care about each other here. This is in large part to BHNC for making sure that we have affordable housing that is a part of the community and for making sure that every resident’s needs are met.
Check out some of Todd’s upcoming art events here: https://www.theartdontstop.com/
