Rocha Art, formerly Ian Ross Gallery, is breathing new life into SoMa with a "street art museum experience." Gallery partners Daniele Rocha, Ian Ross, and Rob Evans are collaborating with local painters and contemporary street artists to mount outdoor murals around town and to also exhibit street art works inside the Brannan Street gallery and on the wall outside.
After cultivating public murals by artists including Ricky Watts, Eddie Colla, and Hueman, the gallery, near neighborhood eateries Marlowe and Cockscomb, is turning its attention to nurturing undiscovered artists through its fledgling nonprofit 1 Brush Initiative, headquartered inside Rocha Art. Founded with support from San Francisco Beautiful, 1 Brush is recruiting leading artists, including Alameda-based contemporary painter John Wentz and Stanford University guest professor Nellie King Solomon, to mentor youth from underfunded public schools and the juvenile justice system. The program provides vital aid to help young artists find their voices and channel their creativity, offering personal mentorship and education to equip students with the skills necessary for careers in the arts.
Learn more about 1 Brush Initiative, and be on the lookout for new murals popping up in Bayview, Dogpatch, and the Design District.