A whale with a monocle and top hat, a snake with a purple mohawk, a lizard with a tongue so far-reaching it extends to outer space: These are just a few of a cast of characters that, says San Francisco artist Rob “Pengoo” Casanovas, “just kind of live in the head.”
Now, they also live on a series of 10 utility boxes painted by Casanovas along Geary Boulevard in the Inner Richmond, as part of the Paint the City project. The project, backed by Paint the Void and the Civic Joy Fund, involved 49 local artists and the transformation of more than 300 camouflage-green utility boxes into works of art.
“Animals and creatures; they’re just a lot of fun for me,” he said.
Casanovas described himself as a “light person” by nature. He laughs, easily and often.
“Levity is something that I feel like people just need these days,” he explained. “It’s my way of helping in the best way I know how,” he said. “Art is healing: Mind, body and soul.”
He currently works out of a studio in The Nest, an art collective and community space on California Street that he shares with two other artists: His partner, Nora Bruhn, and friend Marc Wagenseil.
Prior to settling into his studio, Casanovas spent a couple of years living in his van.
“It was a move to make sure that I’m out in the world,” Casanovas said. “That’s where I get a lot of my inspiration, through interactions with people and through our relationship with ourselves as well.”
It was also an ideal setup when it came time to paint the utility boxes.
“I was able to hop out on-site and get to work,” he said.
At first, Casanovas plotted out the utility boxes in advance. But as he progressed, he began coming up with new ideas and details to add.“Things just started popping up in my head, and I’d be like, ‘Well, now that I see it, I can’t not put it in there.’”
That was the case with “Diffidence Jelly,” on the corner of Parker Avenue and Geary Boulevard. Casanovas ended up adding a ruffled-looking goose holding a cup of coffee and a rolled-up newspaper.
“I was pulling some early, early sessions, waking up at 6 a.m., with my van right there. I would talk to all the neighborhood people and go get my coffee. And I was seeing everybody kind of trudging along in the morning, myself included,” Casanovas explained.
Another benefit of working out in the open was seeing how his art became a part of people’s daily lives. One man, who regularly walked with his mother past Casanovas’ paintings, told Casanovas how they brightened their stroll. The man’s mother, who has dementia, reacted to the boxes as though she was seeing them for the first time.
“Her son thanked me, because she would re-find the boxes, and they made her so happy,” said Casanovas.
Pengoo’s work on utility boxes coincided with becoming a full-time artist. He’s since been keeping busy, doing live painting at the Lighting in a Bottle festival, getting involved in projects such as at Public Works, and showing his work in exhibitions like “SKATE” at 111 Minna Gallery in the Mission.
The show, which opened in April, features more than 400 skateboard decks painted by some 300 artists as an ode to San Francisco skate culture.
Casanovas’ deck, titled “Sardines Can’t Have All the Fun,” depicts a crowded scene of purple, red and beige animals, including a rabbit, an elephant, a lizard, a cow and a llama, all vying for a space for themselves on the popsicle-stick-shaped surface of the deck’s underside.
“His passion for art is unmatched, and the way he pushes boundaries and brings his unique vision to life is nothing short of inspiring. His vibrant use of color and bold, distinctive style make his work instantly recognizable and deeply impactful,” said “SKATE” curator Irene Hernandez-Feiks.
“The little details, for me, are a reward to the viewer,” said Casanovas. “Generally, with my work, if you just stop and take a second, there’ll be something in there that’s like, ‘Hey, thanks for stopping. This is for you.’”
The SKATE closing party takes place on June 20 from 6 to 10 p.m., at 111 Minna Gallery.
Casanovas’ 10 “Paint the City” utility box murals are located along Geary Boulevard on the corner of 2nd Avenue, Arguello Boulevard, Palm Avenue, Stanyan Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Parker Avenue, Spruce Street, Cook Street, Blake Street, and Collins Street.
Keepin it Kolourfide.